One day after Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson revealed that his injured left knee “remains unstable,” coach John Harbaugh didn’t supply a lot after Friday’s apply relating to his response or his evaluation of what Jackson wrote by way of Twitter.
Asked if he knew beforehand that Jackson had deliberate to handle the standing of his knee — an damage that has sidelined the two-time Pro Bowl choice and 2019 NFL Most Valuable Player for the ultimate 5 video games of the common season, in addition to Sunday night time’s AFC wild-card sport on the Cincinnati Bengals — Harbaugh mentioned, “I didn’t know anything about that. I haven’t paid much attention to it.”
Harbaugh additionally turned away a query about whether or not he had a dialogue with Jackson about his knee’s instability.
“I’m not going to get into any conversations you have with players,” he mentioned. “That’s just not something I would do. We have conversations about things all the time, and those are conversations between me and guys. That’s all I can say about it.”
In his tweets, Jackson wrote that he’s battling a Grade 2 damage of the posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee that he suffered on the ultimate play of the primary quarter of a 10-9 win towards the Denver Broncos on Dec. 4. He described the damage as a “borderline” Grade 3 damage involving “inflammation surrounding my knee.”
Harbaugh declined to say whether or not the staff agreed with Jackson’s analysis.
“That’s the thing. It’s not something that we can comment on,” he mentioned. “The nature of an injury’s specifics, the only person that can comment on it is the person. There’s laws along those lines, and we’re educated by the league in terms of what we’re allowed to say and what we’re not allowed to say. That’s not something I can really comment on.”
Jackson was formally dominated out for Sunday’s sport after lacking his 18th straight apply Friday. Backup Tyler Huntley (shoulder/wrist) threw passes for the second consecutive apply, however Harbaugh declined to call a starter between Huntley and undrafted rookie Anthony Brown, who began Sunday’s 27-16 loss to the Bengals. Huntley and Brown are a mixed 2-3 because the starter this season, and the staff has failed to attain greater than 17 factors in these video games.
After the preliminary damage, Harbaugh sounded optimistic that Jackson might return, characterizing the problem as “not a season-ending” one. But as days and weeks mounted with few updates on Jackson’s standing, Harbaugh mentioned it was troublesome to foretell a participant’s response to remedy and restoration.
He repeated that place on Friday.
“Here’s the thing: you don’t know,” he mentioned. “It’s so challenging to stand here, and you ask questions all the time about injuries, and I understand it because it’s important. And you don’t always know. Sometimes you’re hopeful that it will be quicker. I know that I’m always hopeful that guys get back quicker. That’s the front end of any kind of prediction. Sometimes it goes the other way, and it’s longer, and you’re disappointed. That’s why it’s really tough to say. If I get up here and say that it’s going to be a certain amount of time and it doesn’t turn out to be that time, everybody’s like, ‘Well, you know, you’re not being honest with us.’ No, you really don’t know. That’s how medicine works. You don’t know, and I sure don’t know. There’s a range in there somewhere, and as a coach, you just try to get guys ready and hope the guys get back.”
Jackson’s scenario is sophisticated by his contract standing with the staff. Set to turn into a free agent after this season, Jackson and the franchise couldn’t agree on an extension earlier than his self-imposed Week 1 deadline. The indisputable fact that he has missed a complete of 10 video games prior to now two years because of damage has raised questions over whether or not the staff would supply the form of deal that may place him within the higher echelon of NFL quarterback salaries. If an extension can’t be reached by March, the Ravens might use the franchise tag, which is predicted be about $45 million.
Jackson’s tweets additionally put into doubt whether or not he can be obtainable for the AFC divisional spherical if the Ravens had been to defeat the Bengals on Sunday night time. Harbaugh wouldn’t say whether or not Jackson might play later within the postseason.
“Like I just said, I can’t know. I don’t know,” he mentioned. “My job and what I’m excited about and what I’m thinking about right now is Sunday. I’m thinking about this team and this practice. … 8:20 on Sunday night is what I’m thinking about, and I know our guys are, too, because they’re into it.”
Huntley mentioned he wouldn’t be stunned if Jackson attended Sunday’s sport.
“L’s my boy,” Huntley mentioned. “It’s hard when you miss a player like that. But if he’s got a chance to come to the game, I know he will. So we’ll see.”
Wild-card spherical
Ravens at Bengals
Sunday, 8:15 p.m.
TV: Chs. 11, 4
Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM
Line: Bengals by 9
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Source: www.bostonherald.com