Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson returned from a three-game absence because of an ankle injury in Week 8 against the Buffalo Bills. The 29-year-old quarterback was only able to play one snap before exiting the game with a new injury.
On his first passing attempt of the day, Jackson appeared to hit his throwing hand on an oncoming Bills pass rusher. He appeared to be in pain walking off the field and was seen grasping his right hand while receiving medical treatment.
Jackson was quickly ruled out because of a thumb injury and later returned to the sideline with a cast on his right hand. By then, the Ravens had also lost their top backup quarterback, Tyler Huntley, to a toe injury, leaving undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano as the lone healthy
option at the position.
After the game, Jesse Minter announced Jackson would require surgery to repair his injured thumb and could "potentially" be out for the season.
"That'll be a surgery deal," Minter said about Jackson. "He'll go to IR. That's a tough deal."
Minter did not have an update about Huntley's status, simply saying "we'll see" when asked about his backup quarterback.
With those injuries in mind, the Ravens will have to quickly add a quarterback to provide depth alongside Fagnano ahead of their Week 9 "Thursday Night Football" game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. And if Baltimore isn't comfortable with starting Fagnano long-term as it looks to make a playoff push, the Ravens could target a plug-and-play veteran starter to hold the fort until Jackson or Huntley can return to action.
Here's a look at several quarterbacks the Ravens could consider pursuing as they navigate injuries at the quarterback position.
Kirk Cousins
Let's start with a legitimate stopgap option the Ravens could consider to keep their playoff hopes alive. Cousins has been excellent across eight starts with the Raiders, leading them to a 4-4 record and posting 19 passing touchdowns, second-most league-wide, to date this season.
The lone question about Cousins' candidacy is whether the Raiders would actually consider trading him. They just beat the Jets in Week 8 to snap a four-game losing streak and remain in the thick of the AFC playoff race. That could be enough to convince them to keep Cousins and try to ride him to a playoff berth of their own.
But at the same time, the Raiders have the No. 1 overall pick from the 2026 NFL Draft, Fernando Mendoza, waiting in the wings to eventually take over for Cousins. That could convince Las Vegas to offload Cousins, for the right price, to help accelerate their rebuild.
The Ravens were willing to send a second-round pick out for Philadelphia Eagles center Cam Jurgens in a deal many viewed as an overpay. Could they similarly offer the Raiders an above-market-value price for Cousins? Maybe, but Baltimore's front office may also be wary of overpaying for a short-term starter who would quickly need to get up-to-speed on the team's offensive system.
Jimmy Garoppolo
If the Ravens look outside of the trade market, they could target the most experienced quarterback on the free-agent market. Garoppolo considered retirement during the offseason but is believed to be open to playing in the right situation.
Baltimore could qualify as a good landing spot. The Ravens are still in the thick of the playoff race at 4-4 and have a solid stable of weapons, headlined by top receiver Zay Flowers and running back Derrick Henry.
And it's safe to assume the Ravens would have an interest in Garoppolo given his experience. The 34-year-old has a career record of 43-21 in 64 starts and has completed 67.4% of his career passes for 15,828 yards, 96 touchdowns and 52 interceptions. He also started Super Bowl 54 for the San Francisco 49ers and has seven playoff starts under his belt.
Josh Johnson
Johnson is another experienced option the Ravens could target. The 40-year-old has been playing professionally since being a fifth-round pick in the 2008 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That includes three separate stints with the Ravens in 2016, 2021 and from 2023-24, where he dressed for six games as a backup quarterback.
Granted, all three of Johnson's stints with the Ravens came under John Harbaugh. Jesse Minter's staff isn't necessarily as familiar with him, but general manager Eric DeCosta is. That could be enough to convince the Ravens to try to poach Johnson from the Cincinnati Bengals' practice squad and add him to their 53-man roster.
Easton Stick
Stick is another veteran quarterback who has familiarity with part of the Ravens' organization. Stick served as the Chargers' backup during the 2024 NFL season, which was Minter's first of two as Los Angeles' defensive coordinator.
Stick has made just four career starts, all of which came during the 2023 NFL season with the Chargers. He lost all four despite completing 63.8% of his passes for 1,129 yards, three touchdowns and one interception across his action. He wasn't a flashy playmaker, but his steadiness could make him an intriguing foil and mentor for Fagnano.
Stick is currently on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' practice squad, but the 31-year-old would likely jump at an opportunity to join the Ravens' 53-man roster if given the opportunity.
Diego Pavia
OK look, are the Ravens likely to add another undrafted rookie to their room alongside Fagnano with Jackson and Huntley banged up? Probably not.
Still, it's worth noting that they had Pavia on their 90-man roster for part of the offseason. As such, they could at least consider adding the 2025 Heisman runner-up to their practice squad, especially since they likely need to shore up their quarterback depth in a pinch ahead of their Thursday game.
The last we heard of Pavia, he was negotiating a deal to join the United Football League (UFL) ahead of their 2027 spring season. The 5-10 signal-caller would probably be willing to put those plans on hold if offered an opportunity to try to catch on with an NFL team.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ravens QB options after Lamar Jackson injury include unlikely Diego Pavia reunion
