ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith said Friday that the Baltimore Ravens should keep quarterback Lamar Jackson on the sideline for Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns so the two-time MVP can fully recover from a left ankle sprain.
Jackson has been ruled out for the Week 6 matchup after missing every practice session this week, Ravens coach Jesse Minter confirmed. It marks the second consecutive game Jackson will miss.
The injury occurred just before halftime of Baltimore’s 24-18 victory over the Tennessee Titans on Oct. 4. Jackson did not return for the second half and left the stadium in a protective boot.
Smith made his comments on “First Take,” arguing that the Ravens’ 4-1 record removes any urgency to rush Jackson back.
“I think that when I look at Lamar Jackson, I think he should sit out. I don’t think he should play,” Smith said. “I don’t think he should play this weekend. My whole point is to get him a 100% and get him out on the field so he can do what he does in the middle of the season.”
Smith continued that the priority should be having Jackson available for the heart of the schedule rather than risking a setback now.
“I don’t want him being put out there prematurely as if it is desperate times,” he added. “The Baltimore Ravens are 4-1 right now. They are in first place in the AFC North. There is an absence of urgency. … You can afford to lose a game.”
Baltimore sits alone atop the AFC North. The Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals are each 3-2. A Ravens win would create a two-game division lead; a loss would leave the teams tied with Cleveland holding the head-to-head edge.
Backup Tyler Huntley will make his second straight start. Against the Atlanta Falcons last week, he completed 24 of 32 passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. He also rushed six times for 20 yards and a score in the 30-23 overtime victory.
Huntley entered in relief in the second half of the Titans game and finished 8 of 9 for 63 yards. Through those two appearances he is 32 of 41 for 264 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions, plus 36 rushing yards and one score.
The Ravens are averaging 29.2 points per game, sixth in the NFL, and have scored 146 points while allowing 119. Their rushing attack ranks among the league’s best at 5.1 yards per carry.
Minter described the decision to hold Jackson out as one made “in his best interest.” He has called the quarterback day-to-day throughout the week while noting Jackson has been working diligently in the facility.
Jackson had been limited to four games before the injury. In that span he posted efficient numbers that helped Baltimore open 3-1. The team has not committed to a return date beyond this week.
Baltimore next hosts the Bengals on Oct. 25. That game, followed by trips to Buffalo and home dates against Jacksonville and the Chargers, represents a stretch Smith and others view as more critical than the current Browns matchup.
The Ravens have shown they can win without Jackson, but the long-term outlook still centers on having their dual-threat starter healthy once the schedule intensifies. Sunday’s game kicks off at 1 p.m. ET in Cleveland.
