Late for Work: Ian Rapoport Believes Lamar Jackson…

ESPN/NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport thinks the Ravens will receive good news this week about Lamar Jackson, who has missed the past three-and-a-half games with an ankle injury.

“I expect, based on the people I’ve spoken with, that Lamar Jackson will play this week,” Rapoport said on ESPN’s “Big Day.” “He will be on the field this week against the Buffalo Bills.”

“He is believed to be as close to 100% as he has been, and the Ravens do expect him to play. And based on people I’m talking with, I expect him to play as well.”

Rapoport also refuted the report that the Ravens were “shocked” that Jackson didn’t play against the Bengals, saying “they talked in concert with Lamar that he wasn’t 100%.”

Rapoport also said the quick turnaround between Sunday’s game in Buffalo and the following Thursday night game against the Jaguars played into the decision to make him inactive.

It does bear mentioning that Jackson questioned Rapoport’s reporting last week about the exact nature of his injury.

“He part of the training staff?” Jackson quipped.

Jackson’s return would be extremely welcome for a Ravens offense that has scored 23 points over the past two games, with none in the second half. The Ravens have gone 1-2 in backup quarterback Tyler Huntley’s three starts this season.

On Monday, Head Coach Jesse Minter said that he thinks Jackson will be in a “decent spot” and that the team will know more today when the Ravens hold their first practice of the week.

Rashod Bateman Makes List of Best Players Who Could Switch Teams Before Trade Deadline

Ahead of the NFL’s trade deadline (Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 4 p.m.), ESPN’s Matt Bowen and Jeremy Fowler compiled a list of the league’s top 25 possible trade candidates.

Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman checked in at No. 18 on the list.

“This one is a bit of a wild card, as the Ravens aren’t overly deep at receiver,” Fowler wrote. “But Bateman has long been a bit miscast in Baltimore. He’s not a focal point of the offense — he’s more of a secondary option who can clear out to lift safeties — but he would probably like to be featured more. Teams have had interest in the past, and rookie Ja’Kobi Lane is well-positioned for WR2 status in Baltimore.”

Players were ranked by the potential value they’d provide a new team if traded, not their likelihood of actually being dealt (although they did include the estimated chances for each player to move based on what they were hearing). They ranked Bateman’s chances of being traded at 15% and listed the Washington Commanders and Kansas City Chiefs as potential fits for the former first-round pick.

Through seven games this season, Bateman has 266 receiving yards – 22 more than he had in 13 games last season. He’s made some big catches and would have even more production after Jackson’s return.

The Ravens were also listed as potential fits for Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Donte Jackson (No. 14 on the list) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson (No. 21 on the list).

Two things are worth noting: Ravens General Manager Eric DeCosta has made an in-season, pre-deadline trade in four of the last five years. The Ravens also already traded a 2028 second-round pick and 2027 fifth-round pick for center Cam Jurgens.

Former NFL Offensive Coordinator Breaks Down Zay Flowers’ Touchdown vs. Bengals

Perhaps the Ravens’ biggest bright spot from Sunday’s loss to the Bengals was Zay Flowers, who finished with eight catches for 137 yards and a touchdown.

Flowers kickstarted Baltimore’s offense with a 48-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown on Baltimore’s first offensive possession. Former NFL offensive coordinator Scott Turner, who was most recently a passing game coordinator for the New York Jets in 2025, highlighted the dynamic two-time Pro Bowler as the main reason that play worked.

“The most important thing of a positive screen is who you’re throwing it to,” Turner said on the “Ryan Ripken Show.”

Turner also commended Baltimore’s blockers for opening up a running lane.

“They did a great job of blocking, getting it started,” Turner said.

Pundit Pairs Ravens With Ascending Indiana Wideout in 2027 Mock Draft

The 2027 NFL Draft is still a long way down the road, but one pundit’s most recent 2027 mock draft has an intriguing selection for the Ravens.

StickToTheModel has the Ravens taking Indiana wide receiver Charlie Becker with the No. 22-overall pick.

“Becker gives Baltimore the long-striding, 22.5 mph deep threat their offense hasn’t had, a 6-4, 207-pound frame that wins above the rim and converts back-shoulder and go routes into chunk plays,” StickToTheModel’s analysis said. “He’s only two seasons removed from being a special-teams piece, so his route tree beyond verticals is unproven and his short-area separation is still developing, which means he’ll likely start as a designated deep-ball specialist while he rounds out the rest of his game. His special-teams toughness is an added bonus for a roster that values that kind of effort.”

Becker led the Big Ten with 20 yards per reception last season as a key part of Indiana’s undefeated, national-title winning squad, which also included Ravens rookie wideout Elijah Sarratt.

This season, Becker leads the Hoosiers with 42 receptions for 726 yards and eight touchdowns. He had nine receptions for 165 yards and a touchdown against Ohio State on Oct. 17.

StickToTheModel also had the Ravens selecting Alabama cornerback Zabien Brown in the second round with the No. 46 pick.

“Brown’s press-man skillset, physicality at the line, and knack for sticky coverage on deep and crossing routes make him a natural fit for a boundary corner role in Baltimore’s scheme, especially after he held up on an island against opposing WR1s with no safety help in college,” the analysis said. “His two pick-six seasons and sound tackling give him real upside as a developmental starter, though his struggles with route recognition, eyes drifting in zone, and bigger receivers winning at the catch point suggest he’ll need time before he’s trusted in a true number-one role.”

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