Baltimore Ravens coach Jesse Minter was noncommittal when asked if starting quarterback Lamar Jackson (ankle) would return to practice on Wednesday in preparation for the team’s AFC North matchup in Cleveland on Sunday.
“To his credit, he’s doing everything he can to get back out there. What a wonderful teammate and leader he was even when he’s not playing,” said Minter at his Monday media availability.
He added that Jackson is “definitely doing better.”
Jackson suffered a left ankle injury just before halftime of the Ravens’ 24-18 home victory over the Tennessee Titans on Oct. 4. He was replaced by Tyler Huntley in the second half and did not practice all last week. Huntley started the Ravens’ 30-23 overtime road victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday night.
The Ravens (4-1) improved to 7-11 in the 18 games that Jackson has missed since his rookie season of 2019. Huntley evened his record at 6-6 as a starter for Baltimore and has won his last three starts dating to 2025.
The 28-year-old Huntley, who has been Jackson’s understudy for six of the last seven seasons, completed 24 of 32 passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns vs. the Falcons, good for a 111.6 QB rating. He scored the game-winning touchdown on a quarterback sneak with 2:57 remaining in overtime.
Huntley, who played for the Miami Dolphins in 2024, completed all 11 of his passes over his final two drives Sunday.
Minter was more optimistic about new center Cam Jurgens making his Ravens debut against the Browns. The Ravens acquired Jurgens from the Philadelphia Eagles in a trade last week. According to Minter, he is in the “finishing stages” of concussion protocol, which made him inactive on Sunday.
The first-year Baltimore mentor also said that defensive end Trey Hendrickson (finger) and wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane (wrist) have a chance to return on Sunday. Lane is eligible to return from injured reserve this week.
The game against the 3-2 Browns is Baltimore’s first AFC North contest of the season.