Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson did not start Thursday night’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles, a surprise decision after coach John Harbaugh implied that Jackson’s workload would remain consistent from the team’s first two preseason contests.
“A lot of teams do a lot more in the third game, but we kind of balance it out into three games,” Harbaugh said last Saturday when he was asked if Jackson’s snap count would be ramped up against the Eagles.
Conditions changed, with starting left tackle Ronnie Stanley and starting left guard Jermaine Eluemunor sitting out Thursday because of injuries suffered in Monday’s joint practice with the Eagles. Right guard Marshal Yanda had already been ruled out, so Jackson would have started behind only two of the team’s five projected starters on the offensive line.
The decision was also consistent with Harbaugh’s past handling of quarterback Joe Flacco, who did not play in the final two preseason games last year. Rookie Trace McSorley started in Jackson’s place Thursday.
Other Ravens who did not play against the Eagles included quarterback Robert Griffin III, running backs Mark Ingram II, Gus Edwards and Kenneth Dixon, wide receivers Willie Snead IV and Seth Roberts, offensive linemen Randin Crecelius and Greg Senat, cornerbacks Tavon Young (neck) and Iman Marshall, defensive tackles Brandon Williams and Gerald Willis and linebackers Chris Board (concussion) and Jaylon Ferguson.
Meanwhile, the team’s first-round pick, wide receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, took the field in uniform for the first time as a Raven. He missed the first two preseason games as he recovered from Lisfranc (foot) surgery on his foot. Brown started the game and caught a 7-yard pass from McSorley on his first snap.
Jackson performed well in both his preseason starts, completing a combined 10 of 16 passes for 117 yards and a touchdown. He had an 18-yard rushing touchdown erased by a penalty in the team’s 26-13 victory over the Green Bay Packers.
He handled normal workloads in the Ravens’ joint practices on Monday and Tuesday.
Crabtree signs
The Arizona Cardinals agreed to a one-year contract with former Ravens wide receiver Michael Crabtree on Wednesday night, the team announced.
Crabtree, 31, had been a free agent since the Ravens released him in late February. He worked out for the Cardinals two weeks ago, and after Arizona released receiver Kevin White on Wednesday, the team signed him to a prove-it deal.
The Ravens signed Crabtree last offseason in hopes he would lead the team’s overhauled receiving corps, but he struggled to find his early-career form with the San Francisco 49ers. Crabtree finished with 54 catches for 607 yards and three touchdowns, but had but just 13 catches for 135 yards and a touchdown in seven games with Lamar Jackson as starting quarterback.
With White’s release and rookie and Baltimore native Hakeem Butler’s hand injury, there could be space for Crabtree on Arizona’s season-opening roster.
On Thursday night, the New York Jets announced that they’d signed wide receiver Quincy Adeboyejo, whom the Ravens released early in training camp. The Mississippi product signed with the Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2017. He appeared in just one game.
Ricard starting
In a sign of his preseason ascendance, Patrick Ricard started next to Michael Pierce on the Ravens’ interior defensive line as starter Brandon Williams got the night off.
Ricard had two sacks and four tackles in the Ravens’ preseason-opening win against the Jacksonville Jaguars and a tackle for loss in their win last week against the Green Bay Packers. He’s also played a combined 30 snaps on offense as a fullback.
Ricard’s seemingly solidified his case for the 53-man roster, and he continued to make plays Thursday. His interior pressure forced Eagles quarterback Cody Kessler to throw an errant pass backward, and while Philadelphia recovered, it lost 10 yards in the process.
