Ravens consider three QBs for trade as Jackson, Huntley sidelined

Ravens consider three QBs for trade as Jackson, Huntley sidelined

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The Baltimore Ravens are staring down a quarterback emergency that would have seemed unthinkable a month ago. On his very first passing attempt in Sunday’s 36-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills, Lamar Jackson suffered a thumb injury that required surgery, landed him on injured reserve, and could end his season. Then Tyler Huntley went down with a season-ending turf toe injury. That forced undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano into the lineup, where he completed 10 of 21 passes for 91 yards and one interception against Buffalo, CBS Sports reported. Now Fagnano is nursing an ankle injury and is considered questionable for Thursday’s Week 9 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars, prompting Baltimore to add Kedon Slovis and Austin Reed to the roster in a desperate attempt to find stability.

With the NFL trade deadline looming next Tuesday, the Ravens front office faces a decision that could define their season. Sitting in last place in the AFC North at 4-4, Baltimore isn’t mathematically out of the playoff race yet, but the margin for error has vanished. The question isn’t whether they can afford to make a move for a veteran quarterback—it’s whether they can afford to roll into the stretch run with an injured undrafted rookie and career backups.

The Safe Bet: Jacoby Brissett

If the Ravens want a quarterback who has actually started NFL games this season, Jacoby Brissett is the most logical option on the market. The Arizona Cardinals demoted Brissett from starter to third-stringer this week after head coach Mike LaFleur decided to move forward with Gardner Minshew and rookie Carson Beck as his top two options. Brissett was benched for Minshew in the third quarter of Arizona’s Week 8 game against the Dallas Cowboys, a contest Dallas sparked with three fourth-quarter touchdown passes to force overtime before winning in the extra period.

The veteran Brissett hasn’t been spectacular, but he’s been competent enough to keep an offense functional. He’s completed 63.3% of his passes for 1,719 yards, 10 touchdowns, and seven interceptions across eight games this season. More impressively, his 75.6 yards per game to tight end Trey McBride entering Week 8 marked the most by any quarterback-tight end combination since 1970, minimum 15 games. Brissett isn’t going to make Pro Bowl rosters, but he represents a massive upgrade over an undrafted rookie or a career third-stringer for a team with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations.

DeCosta Weighs Richardson’s Untapped Potential

For general manager Eric DeCosta, Anthony Richardson represents the most intriguing—and riskiest—option available on the trade market. The former No. 4 overall pick out of Florida hasn’t made a start since 2024, and his time with the Indianapolis Colts has been defined more by availability issues than by production. The 24-year-old is 8-7 as a starter, having completed just 50.9% of his passes with 11 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 18 career games played.

Lamar Jackson's thumb injury derails Baltimore Ravens season | Pro Football Talk

Yet the physical tools remain undeniable, and a change of scenery could unlock what Indianapolis couldn’t. Richardson averaged 40 rushing yards per game in his first two seasons and scored 10 touchdowns on the ground, giving him genuine dual-threat capability that could pair explosively with Derrick Henry in the backfield. The devil’s advocate argument writes itself: Richardson has been a disappointment so far, and the Ravens can’t afford another project quarterback with their window closing.

Doyle Targets Bagent’s Proven Preseason Form

Tyson Bagent of the Chicago Bears has emerged as a candidate largely because of his existing relationship with Ravens offensive coordinator Declan Doyle. Bagent, who was undrafted in 2023 out of Shepherd University—a Division II school in Shepherdstown, West Virginia—did enough in his first preseason to earn a spot on Chicago’s final 53-man roster. As a rookie, he was called upon to make four starts, even defeating No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers in a prime-time victory that announced his arrival.

He signed a two-year, $10 million extension in 2025, but has struggled this season. Bagent threw for 268 yards and one interception in a Week 4 victory over the New York Jets, then managed just 87 yards and two interceptions in a 31-7 blowout loss to the Green Bay Packers the following week. Those struggles look even starker when compared to 38-year-old Case Keenum, who threw for 247 yards and two touchdowns in a Week 3 primetime upset of the Philadelphia Eagles. The Bears’ front office would likely demand significant compensation for Bagent—perhaps a fourth-round pick—which would make the deal a non-starter for a Baltimore team unwilling to overpay for a backup.

Why This Decision Matters Now

The stakes extend beyond simply winning one game on Thursday night. The Ravens’ season hangs in the balance with eight games remaining, and starting an undrafted rookie with an ankle injury against a division rival could torpedo any momentum before the bye week. With Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley both injured, undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano has been forced to take snaps for the Ravens.

There’s also the salary cap and draft capital math to consider. Bringing in a veteran like Brissett costs draft picks and immediate cap space, while trading for Richardson means absorbing his rookie contract and hoping for a mid-season breakout. The counter-argument is that Baltimore is 4-4 and in last place, so why mortgage the future for a rental quarterback? But Baltimore’s defense and Derrick Henry give them a foundation that doesn’t require a superstar passer to compete—just someone competent who won’t lose games single-handedly with turnovers.

Whatever Baltimore decides before Tuesday’s deadline, one thing is clear: Lamar Jackson landed on injured reserve and could end his season, and the Ravens sit at 4-4 in last place with the season not yet over.

Baltimore Ravens lose Lamar Jackson, Tyler Huntley in Week 8 loss to Bills | Pro Football Talk

More on Lamar Jackson

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