When it comes to Lamar Jackson, speculation always seems to follow.
On Friday, Jackson stepped to the microphone following practice and cleared the air about the nature of his ankle injury and how he's feeling ahead of Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Despite conflicting reports, Jackson confirmed that he's been dealing with a high ankle sprain, which typically comes with a multi-week absence.
Jackson has missed the past two games and is trying to avoid missing a third. He said he's been getting treatment every day.
Jackson practiced this week for the first time since he suffered the injury on Oct. 4 against the Tennessee Titans, when a diving defender's shoulder landed on the inside of his left ankle as he planted his foot.
"I just know it was a sprain, and it hurt bad," Jackson said. "It was very, very, very, very, very painful."
Jackson said the swelling is behind him, but he's still experiencing pain when he runs. The question is one of pain, endurance, and how close he can get to being the player he expects to be for his team.
"Just trying to move how I move," Jackson said. "If I can't do that, I can't help my team. I can't put my team in a situation to win. I feel like I'm doing a disservice, if anything."
Tyler Huntley would start a third straight game if Jackson can't suit up. Huntley led the Ravens to a comeback win in Atlanta but wasn't as sharp in a loss in Cleveland the following week, in which Baltimore scored 10 points on its first two drives but was shut out the rest of the game.
Jackson said he's "headed in the right direction." He said he couldn't run at all last week but felt like he turned a corner Sunday in Cleveland. He gave running another shot this Monday, then returned to limited practice Wednesday and has ramped up since.
Jackson was asked if his ankle still hurts when he practices and if he needs to be 100% to play against the Bengals.
"Just trying to run. That's it," Jackson said. "I don't have a number, but I don't feel like I have to be 100%. … You know, if I can just go out there and feel the pain a little bit, I can play. But I'm restricted. Like, I can't do what I do. I'm not helping nobody. If I can just go out there and just be a statue and get hit, [there's] no positives in that. That's not helping my team at all. I feel like I'm being selfish because it's about me at that point, you know, getting out there and be hurt. That's dumb."
Jackson missed three games early last season because of a hamstring injury, then played through multiple other injuries and wasn't quite the same player. That experience seemingly is impacting his outlook when to return to game action this time.
"I was dumb a little bit, you know, because I was still hurt and I'm trying to help my team win, but I'm not to my full capability, you know, or not even close to it, but I'm just trying," Jackson said.
There's been rampant speculation about why Jackson hasn't been able to return yet. On Thursday, teammate Marlon Humphrey called it “slander.” Jackson wasn't surprised.
"It's been that way. No matter what Lamar's doing, it's going to be something said, so it is what it is," he said. "I want to say stuff back, but y'all know they'll twist it and make it seem like I'm mad or something. But I like to have fun, too."
