The Baltimore Ravens lost their starting and backup quarterbacks during Sunday’s loss to the Buffalo Bills with just four days until a Thursday night matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Lamar Jackson is headed to injured reserve to undergo surgery on his right thumb, and Tyler Huntley is being evaluated for a turf toe injury that could sideline him for a week or longer.
Undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano finished Sunday’s game under center but took several hits behind a porous offensive line. He expressed
optimism about his ability to face the Jaguars, which would be his first career NFL start, albeit in unlikely and adverse circumstances.
Fagnano’s backup, though, remains to be determined. The Ravens currently do not have another quarterback on their 53-man roster or practice squad and will have to make a signing right away to get him up to speed by Thursday night. A potential multi-game absence from Huntley could even inspire Eric DeCosta to sign multiple passer should the injuries continue to accrue.
Entering Week 8 of the regular season, the pickings are about as slim as they get. The Ravens can easily find passers to get them through the coming weeks, but to keep their playoff hopes alive, they might have to consider a more aggressive move. Here are Baltimore’s top quarterback options:
Familiar faces
In the most immediate future, the Ravens need a quarterback who knows Declan Doyle’s offense well enough to play on Thursday night if needed. Austin Reed spent last offseason with Doyle in Chicago and part of this year’s training camp in Baltimore, making him a likely signing. He has never played in a regular-season game, though, and he would profile as little more than depth in case of another injury.
Josh Johnson, who has two previous stints in Baltimore, could also be signed off the Bengals’ practice squad. He has not spent any time under Doyle, nor his two mentors, Sean Payton and Ben Johnson, but the 40-year-old journeyman is known for his ability to quickly pick up new offenses. He would give the Ravens a more veteran option under center should Fagnano falter.
And then there’s – brace yourself – Cooper Rush. His disastrous spell as Jackson’s backup in 2025 loomed large after narrowly missing the playoffs, but he has some level of familiarity with the offensive personnel, if not the scheme. But if Rush is bad enough to be cut by the Falcons, who have fielded Michael Penix, Tua Tagovaioloa, and undrafted rookie Jack Strand this year…
Practice squad pickings
Outside of a street free agent, the Ravens could also poach a quarterback off another team’s practice squad. That could bring Baltimore back to Will Levis. The ex-Titan, now-Jet was reportedly under consideration during the run-up to the 2023 draft before Jackson agreed to his contract extension. Levis’ time in Tennessee was filled with turnovers – often accompanied by his comical freeze-frame reactions – and he would likely only bring more chaos to Baltimore’s current mess of an offense.
Payton’s Broncos do not have a quarterback on their practice squad, while the Bears and the Lions – Johnson’s current and last team – only have rookies. But Hendon Hooker spent two (albeit unsuccessful) years under Johnson in Detroit and could brought in from Tennessee to learn a similar system. The former third-round pick has only thrown five regular-season passes in his career, all in 2024 at the end of Lions blowouts.
Potential trades
It’s worth mentioning the potential for DeCosta to trade for a quarterback, though that probably is not a solution to the team’s immediate needs on Thursday night. Tyson Bagent and Sam Ehlinger, who have spent time with Doyle in Chicago and Denver, respectively, could both be options. Getting Anthony Richardson from the Colts would be an ambitious and exciting move. And are the Ravens desperate enough to see what the Bengals would demand to bring Joe Flacco home to Baltimore?
‘Isn’t he retired?’
Jimmy Garoppolo seemed headed for retirement this offseason, especially after his former coaches in Los Angeles and Arizona went in other directions at quarterback. But he remained interested in playing with multiple links to the Giants as recently as last month. That would add a thin layer of irony if he were to sign in Baltimore after all of the Ravens who followed John Harbaugh to New York this offseason.
Garoppolo appeared in three games for the Rams last season, but he has not thrown a regular-season pass since Week 18 of the 2024 season. He turns 35 years old today; how much does his arm have left?
‘Wait, he’s definitely retired!’
Russell Wilson did officially announce his retirement this offseason. But his arm, it seems, might still have some life:
After seeing him nonchalantly drill the crossbar from 25 yards out in street clothes, you’re telling me DangerRuss couldn’t run play action and launch some moonballs to Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman? And, as Wilson so conveniently mentions, he does have some familiarity with Payton’s offense – and thereby Doyle’s. It was a terrible fit for his skillset, but, hey, knowledge is power, right?
