Flacco limited in return to practice

Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco returned to practice Thursday for the first time since suffering a right hip injury more than three weeks ago.

Flacco participated in throwing drills with Lamar Jackson and Robert Griffin III but was a limited participant. It’s unclear whether he will be available for the Ravens’ game Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons; players and coordinators were available only before the portion of practice open to media.

Flacco had not practiced since before the Ravens’ Week 9 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, a stretch of seven practices. With Flacco inactive for the past two games, Jackson led the Ravens to wins over the Cincinnati Bengals and Oakland Raiders, orchestrating a run-heavy offense and sparking a debate in Baltimore about which quarterback might be best suited to lead the Ravens’ playoff chase.

Coach John Harbaugh said Wednesday that Flacco, who saw a specialist Monday, was “progressing very well” from his hip injury. Asked whether he expected Flacco to practice, Harbaugh said he had “no expectations on medical-type stuff.” He has said Flacco would need to practice to able to play, but has not specified the level of participation required.

“We’ll just do whatever we think gives us the best chance and try to use all of our players the best waywecan, so everything is on the table, in that sense,” Harbaugh said Monday. “That’s pretty much the answer.”

The initial timetable for recovery for Flacco’s hip, which team officials worry could be reinjured if he returns too soon, was three to four weeks. Sunday’s game will mark 28 days since he was thrown to the ground, potentially changing the course of the Ravens’ season.