Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson was absent from apply Wednesday, and he most likely gained’t take part Thursday or Friday both. He’s anticipated to overlook a recreation and probably two — or three — due to his injured knee, which ESPN reports is a sprained PCL.
Combined with the 4 video games he missed final season due to a bone bruise in his ankle, accidents needs to be of concern for each workforce officers and Jackson when the edges meet this offseason for contract negotiations.
There isn’t any must panic. Jackson is barely 25 years outdated, however the accidents must be accounted for when a workforce considers making a operating quarterback its franchise participant for the following 4 or 5 years.
According to ESPN, Jackson has been hit a league-leading 877 instances since getting into the NFL in 2018, a median of 12.5 per recreation. There are some who imagine Jackson isn’t vulnerable to damage despite the fact that he’s a operating quarterback, however that’s absurd.
A operating again who carries the ball 30 instances a recreation is extra vulnerable to damage than one who has 15. That’s simply fundamental math, but it surely’s additionally an enormous purpose the common profession of an NFL operating again is shorter than another place.
Players are larger, sooner and stronger than they had been many years in the past, which is why leagues on each stage — from Pop Warner to school to the NFL — have altered their guidelines to chop down on the variety of violent collisions.
Running quarterbacks get hit extra usually than the usual drop-back varieties. After Jackson, the Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen is second in hits taken since 2018 at 805.
What have they got in widespread? Both are operating quarterbacks, despite the fact that Jackson seems to have extra scripted runs or run-pass choices in his offense. But Allen is a behemoth at 6 toes 5 and 237 kilos.
Jackson is 6-2 and 212 kilos. There are loads of linebackers and defensive backs who don’t need to tackle Allen within the open area for worry of crashing right into a participant who’s as huge as some tight ends, however nobody shies away from attempting to knock down Jackson. They don’t need to be embarrassed by a few of his slick strikes within the open area, however no defensive participant goes to again down.
None.
In 5 seasons, Jackson has tried 1,655 passes and carried the ball 727 instances. In his first three years, he wasn’t protected like among the different pure pocket passers within the league. Young abilities similar to Jackson and former Carolina Panthers star Cam Newton took loads of abuse till they proved themselves.
Injury prevention is likely one of the essential causes I believe Jackson confirmed up firstly of coaching camp trying as huge as 232-pound inside linebacker Patrick Queen.
The muscle added safety but in addition raised questions on Jackson’s quickness. Jackson has been slower than in earlier years. It’s not clearly noticeable, however there have been instances when outdoors linebackers have run him down or he couldn’t flip the nook off the sting quick sufficient.
Two weeks in the past, he missed a apply with a hip damage. Last week, he missed a apply with a quad damage. On Sunday, Jackson bought harm once more when, on the final play of the primary quarter, he was sacked from behind by Denver Broncos outdoors linebacker Jonathon Cooper.
This is usually the sample of a physique breaking down. One week it’s an ankle, and the following it’s a hip. Then it’s a knee or an elbow.
As former security Bruce Laird, who performed in Baltimore from 1972 by 1981 mentioned lately, “it’s not the big things but the little nagging ones that catch up with you.”
That’s so true.
The Ravens have a greater concept of Jackson’s well being than anybody and it have to be factored into the equation in the case of a brand new contract.
Jackson is a good athlete who is an effective quarterback, and he’s proven enchancment over time. But as of now, except he takes the Ravens deep into the postseason, the suggestion right here is that the workforce place the franchise tag on him for subsequent season — which has a price ticket of about $45 million in 2023 — after which start the analysis course of over once more.
The accidents have now turn into a serious concern, even together with his spectacular file.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com
