OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Lamar Jackson has been officially activated off the reserve/COVID-19 list, which puts him on track to practice at Baltimore Ravens training camp on Saturday.
Jackson missed the previous 10 days of training camp, which is the NFL rule for unvaccinated players who receive a positive COVID-19 test result. He returned to the team facility Friday and underwent testing at the facility under the NFL’s protocol, Ravens coach John Harbaugh said.
Harbaugh said after Friday’s practice that he hadn’t been told when Jackson would return to the practice field. But the Ravens activated Jackson a couple of hours later, which allows him to participate in his first full-team practice of the summer.
“He’ll be back as soon as he can be,” Harbaugh said after Friday’s practice. “I’m excited for that. I’m looking forward to it.”
Jackson tested positive on July 27 after five straight days of negative results. He has missed all of Baltimore’s eight full-team practices of training camp so far.
This marked the second time in eight months that Jackson had tested positive for the coronavirus. On Tuesday, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan urged Jackson to get vaccinated.
Running back Gus Edwards, who was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list at the same time as Jackson, returned to practice Friday and looked strong in drills.
“Gus obviously was more ahead [of Jackson] in terms of not having to take certain tests,” Harbaugh said.
Ravens defensive end Derek Wolfe didn’t hide his displeasure over the current COVID rules in the NFL.
“I don’t want to really talk about that, to be honest,” Wolfe said. ‘We can’t do anything about it. The higher-ups with white hats are going to do what they want. I guess the sheep just got to follow. I’m just here to play football.”
Pro Bowl linebacker Justin Houston, who signed a one-year deal with Baltimore on Monday, practiced for the first time with the Ravens on Friday. He participated in individual drills before leaving the field.
“That was part of the plan with Justin,” Harbaugh said. “We’re going to have to work him back in.”
On Friday, the Ravens avoided an injury scare with cornerback Jimmy Smith, who was carted off the field late in practice. Smith suffered a low ankle sprain that is not considered serious, according to a source.
