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Baltimore Ravens star Lamar Jackson’s status ahead of Sunday’s game against the Denver Broncos is somewhat cloudy after missing multiple practices.

ESPN’s Jamison Hensley reported Jackson missed practice Thursday because of back and knee concerns. It marked his second consecutive missed practice.

The two-time MVP demonstrated in 2023 why the Ravens signed him to a five-year, $260 million contract, which at the time made him the highest-paid player in NFL history.

Jackson threw for 3,678 yards, 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions while running for 821 yards and five touchdowns. The new-look offense under Todd Monken seemed to improve his efficiency slightly while still allowing him to harness his singular talents.

His performance to open 2024 has remained the same. Through eight starts, he has 2,099 passing yards and 17 touchdowns to just two interceptions.

Unfortunately for Baltimore, this uncertainty reinforces one of the biggest concerns expressed when the time came to give the 27-year-old a multiyear deal. He missed 10 games between 2021 and 2022, and his dual-threat style naturally left him more susceptible to hits.

Losing Jackson for any stretch of time would mean Josh Johnson takes over at quarterback, which is clearly a big downgrade at the position. Johnson is a career backup who has logged 41 total appearances since 2009.

Though it was three seasons ago, he did at least perform well when replacing an injured Jackson in 2021. The 38-year-old finished 28-of-40 for 304 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, but that was so long ago so as to offer little insight into his value now.

If Jackson misses Sunday’s game against the Broncos, head coach John Harbaugh would probably lean on Derrick Henry and the running game a lot more than they have to this point. As much as Henry is looking like his old prime self, the absence of a consistent passing game would be a big problem for the offense.