The Baltimore Ravens are inching closer to a pivotal 2026 season. The offseason is pretty much over, we know the schedule, and a new year is set to take flight in Charm City. It’s time for OTAs to take over the calendar.
Baltimore kicked off their voluntary OTAs on Monday. While they are voluntary, many are hoping to see most of the veterans there, as the team is implementing a new system and a new way of doing things under Jesse Minter, Declan Doyle, and Anthony Weaver.
On Tuesday, there was one major player missing: Lamar Jackson. Jonas Shaffer, a reporter for the Baltimore Banner, reported that Jackson was not in attendance and that he didn’t see him in the social media clips on Monday. Again, these workouts are voluntary, but they have some Ravens fans feeling disappointed. And it's an anxiety they’re all too familiar with.
Baltimore Ravens hit with a Lamar Jackson reality that has some fans worried
There’s been a lot of attention on what Lamar Jackson’s attendance will look like this year because of what went down last offseason. The two-time MVP was a limited participant in 2025’s voluntary offseason activities and he eventually forfeited a workout bonus for that decision.
There’s no reason to panic, though. As I mentioned earlier, Jackson has missed voluntary OTAs before. He was also far from the only player on Tuesday, as well. Other veterans like Kyle Hamilton, Marlon Humphrey, and Travis Jones were reportedly absent.
Ravens vets I don’t see on field for today’s OTA: QB Lamar Jackson, WR Rashod Bateman, OLB Adisa Isaac, ILB Teddye Buchanan, DL Travis Jones, DL Calais Campbell, DL Nnamdi Madubuike, DL John Jenkins, CB Chidobe Awuzie, CB Marlon Humphrey, S Kyle Hamilton.
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) May 19, 2026
Clearly, it’s not a big deal to miss this early period of the offseason. However, it feels like this year’s voluntary OTAs are all the more important with new coaches calling the shots. Players need to pick up the system quickly, and while the best players should be able to pick it up in no time, it’s still important to hit the ground running. 2026 has high expectations after all.
Thankfully, Jackson was at Minter’s voluntary minicamp earlier in the offseason. There’s an obvious interest in getting back on the field and bouncing back from the disastrous season that we all had to bear witness to in 2025. That’s a step in the right direction. Still, Jackson's missing the start of OTAs is a big event on the calendar to miss.
Throw in the fact that a big-time contract decision is looming for Jackson, and there could be a bit more anxiety.
Regardless, there shouldn’t be much worry at all. It’s definitely concerning to see your superstar quarterback missing from practice, and the anxiety that some of the fanbase might be feeling is understandable. However, Jackson has already shown commitment to getting to work and growing the new coaching staff. A couple of missed practices won’t change that mindset. Hopefully he's back on the field soon.
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