Ian Rapoport expands on uncertainty about potential Lamar Jackson return for Ravens' game at Bills

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network/ESPN put smiles on the faces of Baltimore Ravens fans when he reported on Wednesday afternoon that Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson "will be on the field" and in the lineup when 4-3 Baltimore plays at the 5-1 Buffalo Bills this coming Sunday. 

During Thursday's edition of NFL Network's "Good Morning Football" program, Rapoport discussed why Jackson wasn't available for the Week 7 game against the Cincinnati Bengals after he teased on Oct. 23 that he would start that game.

Lamar Jackson was not going to return until he was "100%" healthy

"Three games with an ankle sprain," Rapoport said of the time Jackson has missed, per Perry Miller Carpenter of Heavy. "I know after week one, some people were expecting him back. Lamar Jackson wants to be 100% before he plays. He was working diligently to get there, wants to be his old, effective superstar self. That is the Lamar the Ravens believe they’re going to get this week, as he is expected to play." 

Some may point out that no quarterback who played from Week 1 through Week 7 is truly "100%" himself due to the standard punishment signal-callers absorb during games. As Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk noted, Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers said on Wednesday that Jackson "wants to play when he is fully healthy." Such a comment could lead one to believe that Baltimore may have to once again turn to backup Tyler Huntley if Jackson is less than "fully healthy" when Saturday afternoon comes around. 

The Ravens are coming off back-to-back losses with Huntley serving as their temporary starter. Most recently, he was responsible for zero scoring drives in the second half of Baltimore's 35-13 loss to Cincinnati. 

Lamar Jackson felt ready to return...as of Thursday morning

Rapoport added that Jackson "was a full participant" in practice on Wednesday and "is ready to return to the field" for the matchup in Buffalo. Time will tell whether or not that will remain the case through this weekend.