Harbaugh: Lamar can 'speak for himself' about missing OTAs

Quarterback Lamar Jackson is set to miss the opening week of the Baltimore Ravens' voluntary OTAs.

"We've been down this road many times through the years," Ravens head coach John Harbaugh told reporters Wednesday, including ESPN's Jamison Hensley. "I'll just let Lamar speak for himself on that. It's for him to talk about. You can ask him."

Harbaugh declined to say whether he was concerned about the former MVP missing practice time. "It's not for me to speak for somebody else on that," the coach said.

Jackson tweeted, "Can't wait to get back" Tuesday but did not say why he wasn't attending practice.

While the two-time Pro Bowler is not required to attend the voluntary sessions ahead of the club's mandatory minicamp in June, it marks the first time the Ravens' starting passer has missed an OTA session.

"Voluntary does means voluntary," Ravens president Sashi Brown said Thursday. Brown also noted that Jackson has been working out away from the team.

Jackson is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and the Ravens have insisted they want to negotiate a long-term deal with their 2018 first-round pick. However, he hasn't been interested in discussing an extension.

If the two sides can't work out a new deal before next offseason, Baltimore is expected to place the franchise tag on the quarterback.

Jackson is coming off perhaps his most difficult campaign since entering the league. With the Ravens' roster plagued by injuries, he missed the final four games of the season with an ankle injury of his own and threw a career-high 13 interceptions. He also threw for 2,882 yards and added 767 rushing yards for 18 total touchdowns.