Lamar Jackson is still hoping to return to action this season, offering the beleaguered Baltimore Ravens a major boost.

Quarterback Jackson, who had already missed three games with a high ankle sprain, was feared to be lost for the rest of the season with a thumb injury he sustained on Baltimore's first offensive play against the Buffalo Bills last week. 

To make matters worse, his backup, Tyler 'Snoop' Huntley, then went on to suffer a season-ending injury in the same game.

That prompted the Ravens to trade for NFL veteran Jacoby Brissett, although he wasn't in place in time for Thursday's loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars and third-choice Joe Fagnano had to start that game.

ESPN's NFL insider Ian Rapoport revealed on Sunday morning, however, that Jackson's injury may not be as bad as first feared. 

He's reportedly hopeful of returning this season and told his teammates to 'just stay alive' in the playoff race so he can potentially come to their rescue when the postseason begins in January.

All four of the Ravens' final four games of the regular season are against their AFC North rivals – the Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers (twice). 

Rapoport added that Jackson's message to his Ravens teammates was 'energizing' and 'exciting' at a time when Baltimore is struggling on the field.

Jesse Minter's team have lost each of their last four games, with their last win coming against the Atlanta Falcons in overtime on October 12. They are currently 4-5.

Jackson, a two-time NFL MVP, will have surgery on a fractured and dislocated thumb on his right hand in the coming days.

The typical recovery time for an injury like that is at least six weeks, and potentially as many as nine weeks. 

That means Jackson could, in theory, be back in action in early January if Brissett can steer the Ravens into the playoffs.

Brissett had become a prime trade candidate for the Arizona Cardinals after being benched midgame against the Dallas Cowboys and then dropped to QB3 on the depth chart.

He started the first eight games of the season for Arizona this season, going 3-5 with a 63.3 percent pass completion.

West Palm Beach native Brissett will join his seventh NFL team in Baltimore, in his 11th season in the league.

He was first selected by the New England Patriots in the third round of the 2016 Draft, going on to win the Super Bowl as Tom Brady's backup in his first season.

He was traded to the Colts after his rookie season and was the starter there in 2017 and 2019, before alternating as a back-up and starter in Miami, Cleveland, Washington and back in New England, before eventually landing in Arizona.

In March 2025, he signed a two-year, $12.5 million deal with the Cardinals and played in 14 games last season.

Despite reworking his contract to increase his compensation for the 2026 season, he will become a free agent at the end of the campaign, unless he agrees new terms in Baltimore.