Ravens Head Coach Updates Lamar Jackson's Week 7 Status

Ravens head coach Jesse Minter, just six games into his career, continues to navigate complex injuries across his roster and particularly at quarterback.

To this point in his regime, there have been telltale signs about how this new staff would handle numerous key injuries – especially Lamar Jackson’s, which we told you would be at least two weeks despite rampant speculation to the contrary. And many of those indicators are flashing again this week as Minter tiptoes around Jackson's status once more. Minter has stuck to a “day-to-day” refrain about the two-time MVP, but the ankle situation has obviously been more serious than that.

Jackson did manage to practice Wednesday in a very limited basis, the coach said, ahead of a meeting with the Bengals (and their new dominant defensive line), and everything Minter has said and done to this point regarding every medical situation has been very cautious and judicious. The Ravens are also juggling trying to get new center Cam Jurgens – for whom general manager Eric DeCosta paid a prohibitive price – fully vested in a new offense with a new offensive line as he was fully cleared for practice Wednesday after missing two games in concussion protocol.

"Lamar was actually able to ge a little bit of limited work in, in preparation," Minter said Wednesday afternoon. "That's where that’s at … it's a day by day thing … and he was able to get a little bit of work in."

As one who parses words and writes words for a living, that's a lot of "little" in one response, and an "actually" that seems quite telling. Regardless, this was the first time Jackson got back on a field since the injury, although it does not sound like he tested much. Minter indicated it will take a consensus among player and medical team before Jackson starts a game.

"When it's ready for him to be able to play, from both sides," Minter said, "and we feel like that's the best thing to do, then that's what we'll do."

What The Recent Past Suggests

Oct 18, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Baltimore Ravens head coach Jesse Minter in the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Minter has been very judicious with early-season injuries and while he has claimed for three weeks now that Jackson is day-to-day and gone out of his way indicate each of those weeks that the superstar could play in a game without practicing much that week … only to then rule him out on Friday. Such an outcome again this week would not come as a surprise.

To expect Jackson to return from an injury clearly this impactful, and one that has now wiped out this much practice time, without a full and vigorous practice tomorrow seems like a stretch. Despite calling it "day-to-day" they have been wary of aggravation. Either way, Thursday will be quite telling.

Jackson was performing at an MVP level prior to getting taken down by his lower leg from behind for a sack at the end of the first half of Week 4’s win over the Titans. He left that game, returned to the sidelines, began getting treatment on the sidelines and got an MRI the next day. The situation is complicated by the fact that Jackson is the rarest of elite QB who is playing out what amounts to the final year of his contract, as his 2027 deal has no guarantees and a ridiculous $85M cap charge that the Ravens cannot withstand.

Jackson has more leverage than any player in perhaps NFL history (NFL analyst Domonique Foxworth explained as such on “The Daily Flock Show”) and top agent Mike McCartney, who negotiated multiple fully-guaranteed deals for Kirk Cousins (Jackson serves as his own agent) suggested Jackson can dictate at least $70M/year in 2027 from essentially any suitor he wants having achieved “virtual free agency,” due to a no-trade provision and a no-franchise tag provision.

Of course, situations like this are precisely while teams like the Chiefs (Patrick Mahomes) and Bills (Josh Allen) never allow those QBs to get within two years of free agency let alone the cusp of it. Then again, those QBs also never had to endure a collusion case ruling, or sit on the market on a non-exclusive franchise tag, either.

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