Lamar Jackson was not on the field Friday, but he was in the building and activated from the Reserve/COVID-19 list following practice.
The Ravens are eager to have their starting quarterback at training camp, and Friday was the eighth practice that Jackson (Reserve/COVID-19) has missed. The Ravens practice again Saturday, and Jackson will have a chance to take the field.
"He's here, he's in the building today, he had to do some things with testing and whatever else the processes are," Harbaugh said. "That's all in the protocol and he'll be back as soon as he can be. I'm excited for that. I'm looking forward to it."
Josh Allen Becomes First Quarterback of *2018 Draft Class to Re-Sign *
Three top quarterbacks from the 2018 draft class have been negotiating mega deals this offseason, and there has been speculation regarding who would sign first – Jackson, Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills or Baker Mayfield of the Cleveland Browns.
The Bills announced Friday they had reached agreement with Allen on a contract extension that runs through 2028.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Allen's deal is worth $258 million, including $150 million guaranteed. That's an average of $43 million per year.
Allen's contract could help set the parameters for Jackson's next deal. Allen has led the Bills to the playoffs the past two years, including a victory in the divisional round over the Ravens last season. However, Jackson was the unanimous 2019 NFL most valuable player, and he has a career regular season record of 30-7 as a starter. Jackson is unlike any other player in the league.
Jackson has said throughout the offseason that he believes a new deal with the Ravens will get done, and that he isn't concerned about the timing.
"I'm not worried about that right now," Jackson said on “The Lounge” podcast. "I'm worried about getting my Super Bowl here and bringing it back home so we can celebrate that."
Anthony Weaver Thankful to Be Back in Baltimore
Anthony Weaver got his NFL start with the Ravens, a second-round pick in 2002 who started 54 games in four seasons on the defensive line, before signing with the Houston Texans as a free agent.
It took 16 years for Weaver to get back to Baltimore. Now a well-respected coach who was Houston's defensive coordinator last season, Weaver joined the Ravens' staff this offseason as their run game coordinator/defensive line coach. When he drives into the Under Armour Performance Center Parking lot every day, Weaver feels like he's living a dream.
"Having left, you forget how beautiful and emaculate the place is," Weaver said. "It's called 'The Castle' for a reason. It's awesome.
"When I was here the first time, it was the only NFL organization I knew. Once you leave and you get to experience and see the grass on the other side, you realize how special this place is. For me, this certainly isn't a pit stop in my coaching career. This is a destination. Baltimore, the Ravens, are in my DNA. I can't tell you how happy I am to be back in this environment."
At 41 years old, Weaver easily relates to the veteran defensive linemen he's coaching like Calais Campbell, Derek Wolfe, Brandon Williams and Justin Ellis. But Weaver can also bring sage advice to young players like second-year tackle Justin Madubuike, giving him guidance to accelerate his development. Wolfe likes working with a coach who remembers how a veteran player feels going through the grind of training camp.
"He understands what are day-to-day is like," Wolfe said. "He knows what we're going through. To me, he's one of the best coaches I've been around. He doesn't make you do a drill just to do a drill, just to kill time. Everything he does, it meticulous and there's a reason for it. And then you take that and use it on the field. That's all you can ask for."
Now that he's back in Baltimore, Weaver wants what he has always desired – a Super Bowl ring."
"I come in with a chip every year," Weaver said. "It has nothing to do with what happened a year ago (in Houston). It has to do with the fact this is my 17th year in the league and I'm still chasing that ring. That's what that chip's about. It's about one goal, and it's a team goal, and it's to walk out of here hoisting that Lombardi with all these guys. You watch these 30 for 30's, with those teams that have won, they always get back together and they celebrate that. I want to be a part of that. That's where that chip comes from."
Harbaugh Hosts Team at His House
The Ravens did some bonding this week when Harbaugh invited the team to his home. It was a nice way for the team to break up the grind of training camp.
"We had them over yesterday," Harbaugh said. "We had a great time and had a lot of great food. We had some great food trucks there and had a lot of laughs. So, it was a good time."
