Lamar Jackson missed a second consecutive practice on Sunday because the reigning league MVP had to deal with a soft tissue injury, according to Ravens coach John Harbaugh.
Harbaugh spoke to the media after the practice, saying Jackson, with runs from Justice Hill and cornerback Marcus Peters, each had to deal with soft tissue injuries.
“We have a couple of guys who have things with soft tissue,” Harbaugh said, via the Ravens’ Twitter handle. “Rather be safe with those guys right now and give those things a chance to be better and equal.”
Harbaugh appeared to be a bit defensive when subsequent questions were asked about his recent absence from his quarterback.
“I do not get into everything,” Harbaugh said. via ESPN’s Jamison Hensley. “You guys relax it and play Dick Tracy. It’s training camp and we’re getting close to the season. We’ve not talking too much about injuries.”
Last season, the then 22-year-old Jackson threw for 36 touchdowns and just six interceptions while winning 13 of his 15 starts. He also ran the ball 176 times for an NFL quarterback record of 1,206 yards and seven touchdowns. Despite his heavy workload, Jackson did not miss games due to an injury, a trend that the Ravens would surely continue when Jackson enters his third season.
While he is still expected to make plays with his feet, Jackson will likely be asked to run the ball significantly less in 2020. A big reason why is the arrival of second-round pick JK Dobbins, who last year the first player in Ohio became State history to run more than 2,000 yards in a season. Along with Dobbins, the Ravens’ backfield also has veterans running back Mark Ingram, who is coming off a Pro Bowl season after rushing for 1,018 yards and 10 touchdowns in his first season in Baltimore. Baltimore’s backfield also includes Gus Edwards, who rushed 711 yards (while averaging 5.3 yards per carry) while playing behind Ingram.
On Saturday, the Ravens website announced that Jackson was given the day off to rest his arm. Baltimore assistant coach / interim coordinator / receiver coach David Culley dismissed any notion of Jackson’s absence as important.
“What he’s getting right now is a day he’s getting normal,” Culley said. “He throws the ball beautifully in all training camps and the arm gets a little tired every now and then. This is just part of the rest he has received in previous camps.”
