Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey is unhappy with the way Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is being treated. And Humphrey said it on Thursday.
“It seems like Lamar is the only quarterback (who) is sort of receives the slander he receives because every time something happens,” Humphrey told reporters, via ESPN’s Jamison Hensley. “I feel like you just don’t see those same articles. I’m in the hot tub and it’s this, that and the third. Unfair treatment.
Humphrey gave no recent examples of Jackson missing due to an ankle injury.
“I just feel like sometimes it feels like it’s getting away from…I don’t know if it’s because of the lack of an agent or what, that no one can defend him,” Humphrey said. “But I know this, if Lamar Jackson can play, if he’s healthy enough to play, he’ll play, and that’s kind of all I can say about that.”
This is one of the practical consequences of not having an agent who can contact reporters, broadcasters or anyone else in the media who says anything negative about Jackson. In the weeks leading up to the 2018 draft, for example, there was no one to push back against former general manager Bill Polian, who said Jackson should move on. Without an established agent to champion and advocate for him, that may have been one of the reasons the two-time MVP was available late in the first round, where he was selected 22 spots after Josh Rosen.
Ultimately, Lamar Jackson is the only one who speaks for himself. And Lamar never seems to be bothered by any noise that might emerge.
Humphrey may have realized after he said what he said that Jackson may not have been happy that Humphrey had said anything.
“I think the whole Lamar thing is what I don’t talk about,” Humphrey said. “I think the only one that really talks about (Lamar) is Lamar. I think if Lamar can play, that would be great. If he doesn’t, we have Snoop (Huntley).”
While there have been questions in recent years about whether Jackson chose not to play at less than 100 percent at a time when he didn’t have the financial security of a new contract (which is smart), there hasn’t been much, if any, criticism of Jackson during his last absence. He obviously has an ankle injury and while some reports describe it as daily, we reported on the day it happened that he is from week to week.
Based on his participation in practice over the past two days, this could be Jackson’s return week. And Baltimore could use it; the 4-2 Ravens host the 3-2 Bengals on Sunday.
Gn sports
