Baltimore Ravens QB Jackson Expected to Return to Practice Next Week

The Baltimore Ravens should have their star passer back in the fold as they push for the playoffs. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, quarterback Lamar Jackson will test his sprained knee this week in the hopes he'll be able to return to practice and potentially play in Week 17.

#Ravens QB Lamar Jackson will test his sprained knee this week, determining if he can make football-related moves & practice. If he can practice, he should be healthy enough to play. But what’s at stake could play into whether he actually plays:

My story: https://t.co/sw5CDi6u5c
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 24, 2022

Jackson has been unavailable since injuring his knee in the Ravens' Week 13 10-9 win over the Denver Broncos. Tyler Huntley has played in his stead, netting 389 passing yards in three appearances this season while adding 87 yards on the ground.

Jackson's return should give the Ravens offense a timely boost as they enter the most crucial portion of the season. The Ravens have scored 29 total points over their last three games after scoring 25 points per game over Jackson's 11 healthy starts.

At 9-5, the Ravens are still in contention for the AFC North crown. They face the 10-4 Cincinnati Bengals in Week 18; they already topped the Bengals 19-17 in Week 5, so a second win would provide the Ravens with the all-important tiebreaker.