(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Traditionally, starters do not play much, if at all, in NFL preseason games, and a lot of it has to do with avoiding injury before the real games start.
Thirty of the league’s 32 teams will begin their preseason schedule this weekend, and some fans may yawn during those contests because of the lack of regular players who will actually be on the field.
For the Baltimore Ravens, quarterback Lamar Jackson will not play against the Philadelphia Eagles, per Cameron Wolfe.
Ravens QB Lamar Jackson will not play in Friday’s preseason opener vs. Eagles, HC John Harbaugh said. Expect a lot of backup Josh Johnson.
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) August 7, 2024
Jackson is the NFL’s reigning regular season MVP who threw for 3,678 yards and 24 touchdowns while adding 821 yards and five touchdowns on the ground.
In doing so, he guided the Ravens to a 13-4 record, which was the best mark in the league.
Jackson has been a bit injury-prone, missing five games in each of the 2021 and 2022 seasons with an ankle injury and a sprained PCL, respectively.
The fact that he’s a dual-threat quarterback in the minds of some makes him particularly susceptible to injuries.
Jackson will have additional help this season in the form of star running back Derrick Henry, a four-time Pro Bowler who ran for more than 2,000 yards in 2020, which should give Baltimore a dynamite one-two punch on the ground.
Expectations are high for the Ravens, a franchise that has won two Super Bowl championships but has reached the AFC Championship Game just once in Jackson’s six seasons.
Meeting those lofty expectations starts with avoiding key injuries, which means managing their players’ health from now through the postseason.
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