NFL

Will Lamar Jackson play for the Ravens against the Bears on Sunday? Who is his backup?

The Ravens have struggled without their starting quarterback in recent weeks. A new QB will deputize against Chicago.

Will Lamar Jackson play for the Ravens against the Bears on Sunday? Who is his backup?
PATRICK SMITH
William Gittins
A journalist, soccer fanatic and Shrewsbury Town fan, Will’s love for the game has withstood countless playoff final losses. After graduating from the University of Liverpool he wrote for a number of British publications before joining AS USA in 2020. His work focuses on the Premier League, LaLiga, MLS, Liga MX and the global game.
Update:

The Baltimore Ravens have officially listed quarterback Lamar Jackson as ‘Out’ for Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears. But the way that they shared the news has raised some eyebrows.

Jackson has not played for the last two games due to a hamstring injury sustained in the Week 4 matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs. On Friday the team reported that Jackson had been a full participant in practice, raising hopes that he would be fit to return against the Bears.

But on Saturday morning the Ravens listed their two-time NFL Most Valuable Player as ‘Out’ and retroactively changed his practice status. Jackson’s Friday practice was downgraded from ‘full participation’ to ‘limited’, a change that will frustrate many around the league.

CBS Sports reports that the Ravens may have been attempting to fool the Bears into thinking that Jackson would play on Sunday. That could have disrupted their preparation plans, but such a ploy would seem to fall foul of the league’s stringent injury report policy.

Nevertheless, with Jackson officially out the question now turns to his replacement. In the past two games the Ravens have turned to veteran backup Cooper Rush to take his place. But those two starts have not been successful, with two losses, five turnovers and zero touchdown passes from Rush.

The Ravens have subsequently demoted Rush to QB3 in the depth charge, with Tyler Huntley moving up to become Jackson’s deputy. Baltimore has stumbled to a 1-5 record to start the 2025 season and needs a big performance from 2022 Pro Bowler Huntley to get a misfiring season back on track.

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