The Baltimore Ravens are literally limping toward the end of the season.
Josh Johnson was forced to start at quarterback last week as Lamar Jackson was out with an ankle injury and Tyler Huntley was on the COVID list.
Jackson has made his return this week, but video shows him moving around with a noticeable limp.
A look at Lamar Jackson trying to push through a right ankle injury on Wednesday, when he returned to the field for the first time in 17 days pic.twitter.com/Z8NCjrOnVh
— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) December 29, 2021
Jackson is known for his mobility and can barely even move around on the practice field.
That is a terrible sign for Sunday.
But the team did get some good news Thursday as Huntley was activated from the COVID list.
Ravens activated QB Tyler Huntley off the reserve/COVID-19.
Huntley will return to his backup role but he might have to start for Lamar Jackson if he is unable to play Sunday against the Rams. Jackson (ankle injury) returned to practice Wednesday.
— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) December 30, 2021
Huntley has shown a ton of promise this season and most recently scored four touchdowns in a 31-30 loss to the Green Bay Packers.
He is better than most backups and also allows the Ravens to run the same offense they would with Jackson.
His return could be a season-saving one if Jackson is unable to go Sunday.
Ravens Actually Get Good News
The Ravens have been hit hard by injuries and COVID this season.
And this is not a new trend, as the team lost both J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards before the season began.
That put the weight of the offense on Jackson and his current injury explains the team’s four-game losing streak.
Bad luck has also factored in as the Ravens lost two separate games on failed two-point conversions in December.
There is no need for Jackson to get the start if he is limping around.
All that does is allow the Los Angeles Rams defense to tee off on him and potentially injure him further.
A healthy Huntley gives the team its best chance to win.
Whether that is good enough remains to be seen as the Ravens try to get back into the AFC playoff picture.
NEXT: Lamar Jackson Returns To Practice With A Lingering Issue
