BALTIMORE, MD - DECEMBER 31: Linebacker Tyus Bowser #54 of the Baltimore Ravens prays in the end zone prior to the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at M&T Bank Stadium on December 31, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
Baltimore Ravens QB Joe Flacco has a clean bill of health for the first time in weeks. Unfortunately, he doesn’t seem to be getting his starting job back in the immediate future.
According to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, the Ravens have decided “not to chance” activating him.
Instead, rookie QB Lamar Jackson, who has gone 3-0 as a starter since mid-November, is still going to start in place of the Ravens all-time passing leader.
ProFootballTalk managing editor Michael David Smith indicated that Flacco is healthy enough to play. He added that the fact the Ravens are making him a healthy scratch indicates that they are ready to move on.
FOX NFL insider Jay Glazer also added that Jackson is the Ravens’ starting quarterback and Flacco wouldn’t have played even if he was active.
“Even if Joe Flacco has been active (he’s not) Lamar Jackson was going to fully be the guy today regardless. Jackson is their QB,” he writes.
In his first 10 years with the Ravens, Flacco started 154 of 160 games, winning a Super Bowl in the process.
But the Ravens seemed to have drafted his replacement in this past year’s draft when they traded for the No. 32 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft to land Lamar Jackson.
If the NFL season ended today, the Ravens would make the playoffs as the second wild card team.