Slapping backs and hugging teammates, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson made his grand entrance at last Wednesday’s organized team activities. This Tuesday, he was conspicuously absent.

Jackson must attend 80% of the team’s voluntary offseason workouts to earn a $750,000 bonus each season from 2024-2027, according to NBC Sports. He forfeited the bonus last season when he missed the majority of OTAs. The Ravens have 10 OTA practices scheduled.

Vibes might differ without the Ravens’ leader, and the quality of play may drop without their star, but offensive coordinator Todd Monken wasn’t concerned about his quarterback’s absence.

“I always feel good about Lamar,” Monken said. “He always comes in ready. I’ve never felt like when we’ve started camp that he’s not ready.”

Wide receiver Zay Flowers met up with Jackson in Florida to get some work in with prior to OTAs, and Flowers spoke about the importance of that time together.

“It just get our timing down and things we wanted to work on in the season that we seen, we talk about on the field,” he said. “If we’re running routes, he’ll tell you ‘Run it this way’ or ‘I like how you ran it this way.’ So it’s really just talking a lot and detailing the small things he wanted to get done.”

The two of them have discussed the way the last two seasons have ended, with a 27-25 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the AFC divisional round last season and a 17-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship the season before. It feels like they’re often beating themselves in these games, Flowers said.

“We know where we’re supposed to be and where we’re supposed to end up at the end of the year,” Flowers said.

They need to get over the hump, and Jackson has shared ideas with Flowers about how to do that.

“This year, he want to do a lot more meeting,” Flowers said. “He want to do a lot more team stuff. He want to do a lot more personal stuff with us just to get that team camaraderie on a good level.”

Flowers feels like he’s still getting better as he enters Year 3 coming off his first Pro Bowl season. Jackson has improved year after year, as well. The Ravens also return the bulk of their offensive starters and have added DeAndre Hopkins. Monken said he looks at Hopkins as a third starting wide receiver, not as No. 3 on the depth chart.

The Ravens can work on improving from last year since they’re not starting from scratch in any position group. But for now, they’ll have to get back into the swing of team practices with an unfamiliar arm delivering the ball.

Without Jackson, backup quarterbacks Cooper Rush and Devin Leary are running the offenses. Leary was a rookie last year and spent the season on the practice squad while Rush is a free agent addition.

“He’s a pro,” Monken said of Rush. “That’s why he’s made it in the NFL as long as he has. That’s why his record as a starter is what it is. Because it’s not like those guys get a lot of reps. So when he’s had his opportunities, he’s done an outstanding job — not a good job, an outstanding job — of winning football games."

Rush shouldered the majority of Jackson’s reps on Tuesday. He had a few solid passes. He had just as many missed throws — both overthrown and underthrown.

But Monken was optimistic about what Rush can bring as a potential backup to Jackson.

“He knows where to go with the ball,” Monken said. “He knows his skill set. It’s one thing to have a skill set, it’s another to understand that. He’s not Lamar. So he’s got to know where to go with the ball, be on time, using his arm talent, anticipation with throws and being able to get the ball out and get it to check downs.”

Indeed, Rush is not Jackson, so practice lacked some of the dazzling plays and the energy that comes when QB1 is on the field.

The Ravens return to practice Thursday, and “Lamar watch” will continue.