The Baltimore Ravens are stuck at .500 in the AFC, and things just went from bad to worse. Not only are they the ONLY team in the entire AFC to have already started more than one quarterback this season, but now injuries are forcing them to roll out their *third* quarterback against the Jaguars on “Thursday Night Football.” This team had Super Bowl expectations coming into the year, and now, with Lamar Jackson looking at a long-term absence, it could genuinely be a death sentence for their season. They are in a seriously dark place right now.
Jackson Out Long-Term, Huntley Banged Up, And Hopes Are Fading
Lamar Jackson is facing an extended period on the sidelines, possibly even the remainder of the season, after undergoing thumb surgery. Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, backup Tyler Huntley is also set to miss time with a toe injury. With both their top two QBs out, the Ravens are in full-blown crisis mode. Losing Jackson for what could be the rest of the season after starting with Super Bowl dreams? That is absolutely brutal for a team fighting in a crowded AFC North. It is a nightmare scenario unfolding live on primetime TV.
Meet the Quarterback Gauntlet
So, with Jackson and Huntley sidelined, who are the Ravens even trotting out there? Their depth chart is now a carousel of names that’s, well, something else.
First up, at number one, we’ve got undrafted rookie **Joe Fagnano**. He’s in line to start against the Jaguars on Thursday night. But get this, even Fagnano isn’t fully healthy, with Coach Jesse Minter telling reporters he’s “fighting through a couple of things,” including an ankle injury. Seriously? They’re down to a third-string rookie who is already banged up! Fagnano signed with Baltimore after going undrafted out of UConn and somehow earned a roster spot by impressing over the summer. The 25-year-old from Williamsport, Pennsylvania, has a pretty remarkable story, starting as a walk-on at FCS Maine before transferring to UConn and throwing 28 touchdown passes to just one interception in his sixth and final college season. What a journey for the kid, but talk about being thrown into the fire!
Then, as the new backup quarterback, the Ravens signed **Kedon Slovis** off the Packers’ practice squad on Tuesday. Because he was signed off a practice squad, Slovis automatically jumped onto Baltimore’s 53-man roster. He’s another undrafted guy, splitting his college career between USC, Pittsburgh, and BYU. Slovis has spent time with the Cardinals, Colts, Texans, and Green Bay, and he actually attempted two passes last season, but nearly all his NFL action has been in the preseason. He’s well-traveled, for sure, but with extremely limited in-game experience when it counts.
Rounding out the list, the Ravens signed **Austin Reed** to their practice squad on Monday. Reed is also undrafted, coming out of Western Kentucky in 2024. He’s never thrown an NFL pass. This past spring, he was playing for the UFL’s Dallas Renegades. Reed actually has a little camp experience with the Ravens from this past summer, but he was waived before the final roster cuts. With Slovis on the 53-man roster, Reed would need a promotion from the practice squad just to be Fagnano’s direct backup on Thursday night. Talk about deep.
It’s a tough situation for the Ravens. They’re heading into “Thursday Night Football” against the Jaguars with an undrafted rookie, who is fighting through an ankle injury, at the helm, backed up by a guy plucked off a practice squad who has barely seen the field. What a wild ride this season has turned out to be for a team that had Super Bowl aspirations.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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