Ravens’ quarterback crisis opens door to 7 trade targets who could rescue a season still alive in the AFC North
Baltimore is down to undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano under center, and the trade deadline offers a way to save a season still within reach.
The Baltimore Ravens are in a complicated spot at quarterback. Lamar Jackson is potentially out for the season with a thumb injury. His backup, Tyler Huntley, is definitely out for the season with turf toe. As a consequence, Baltimore is down to its third quarterback, and that is a serious concern for the rest of the season.
It has been a tough year for the Ravens, but they are still in the AFC North hunt. At 4-4, Baltimore sits just two games behind the Pittsburgh Steelers, who lead the division. Undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano will start against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday night. Kedon Slovis, signed off the Green Bay Packers practice squad earlier this week, is also on the active roster, and former Chicago Bears quarterback Austin Reed joined the practice squad.
That combination is not inspiring. The Ravens could consider a trade ahead of Tuesday’s deadline, and here are seven quarterbacks who make sense.
Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts
Let’s start with Daniel Jones, because the Indianapolis Colts are considering every scenario. They already traded guard Quenton Nelson and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, and they are weighing a deal involving running back Jonathan Taylor.
Jones received a two-year extension this offseason, but $44 million of it came as a signing bonus. He is earning a $5.49 million base salary plus $510,000 in per-game roster bonuses, so Baltimore would absorb only $3.05 million in base salary plus the bonuses. The 2027 season, when Jones is set to make $38 million, is essentially a team option. The Ravens could trade him again, release him, or keep him as a bridge if they ever move on from Jackson.
Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals
Brissett started the first eight games for the Arizona Cardinals but didn’t replicate last year’s form, posting 10 touchdown passes, seven interceptions, and a 79.7 passer rating. Arizona demoted him to third string this week. Gardner Minshew will start, and rookie Carson Beck is now the backup.
Brissett has 73 career starts, and his situation means he wouldn’t cost much in compensation. Most of his money came as signing and restructure bonuses, so Baltimore would only absorb the proration of a base salary that is essentially the veteran minimum.
Joe Flacco, Cincinnati Bengals
This one is a long shot. Joe Flacco, the Ravens’ 2008 first-round pick and Super Bowl MVP, spent more than a decade as Baltimore’s starter before a 2019 trade to the Denver Broncos. Now 41, he is the backup for the Cincinnati Bengals.
Intradivisional trades are rare, but Cincinnati acquired Flacco from the Cleveland Browns last season. He played relatively well while Joe Burrow was out, even though the Bengals went 1-5 in those starts. Cincinnati would probably want to squeeze a division rival for extra draft capital. Financially, though, his one-year, $6 million deal is mostly bonus money, leaving only a prorated veteran minimum base salary and per-game roster bonuses.
Mac Jones, San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers gave no indication they wanted to move Mac Jones this offseason, so the price in terms of trade capital could be significant. He signed a two-year, $8.4 million contract last offseason, and his base salary this year is $1.4 million.
Jones has 57 career starts and led the New England Patriots to the playoffs as a rookie in 2021. Last season, he completed almost 70% of his passes with 13 touchdown passes, six interceptions, and a 97.4 passer rating, and San Francisco went 5-3 in his starts. He isn’t mobile like Jackson or Huntley, but he is a viable passer and a smart processor.
Jameis Winston, New York Giants
Jameis Winston recently signed a two-year extension with the New York Giants but lost the starting job to J.J. McCarthy, even after Jaxson Dart went down for the season. The Ravens would absorb the proration of his $1.3 million base salary this year.
The complication is what follows. Winston is due $6.15 million in 2027 and $6 million in 2028, with the 2027 salary guaranteed along with $1.39 million of his 2028 money. The 32-year-old offers high upside through his aggressiveness, but he also makes plenty of mistakes. It would be a midterm decision, making him the starter now and potentially the backup next year.
Spencer Rattler, New Orleans Saints
Rattler could be a long-term answer at backup. The 26-year-old entered the league as a fifth-round pick two years ago and started eight of his nine games last year, posting an 86.5 passer rating before losing the job to Tyler Shough.
He offers a higher ceiling, even if the floor isn’t great. Still on his rookie contract, Rattler would make around $600,000 for the rest of the season and $1.19 million next year. However, the New Orleans Saints would probably want significant draft compensation.
Kirk Cousins, Las Vegas Raiders
Kirk Cousins signed a unique contract with the Las Vegas Raiders, built through a minimum base salary to work around the offsets from his old Atlanta Falcons deal. He also has a guaranteed $10 million roster bonus tied to 2027, which is a void year, so Baltimore would take on that money on top of his prorated base salary.
Cousins has 175 career starts and is completing 63.6% of his passes with 19 touchdown passes, five interceptions, and a 101.4 passer rating this season. Having played in several systems, he could learn the offense fairly quickly.
Cousins remains the starter, but Las Vegas could move on and hand the job to first overall pick Fernando Mendoza. The Raiders are still fighting for an AFC playoff spot, so a deal would reinforce a conference rival. With a young passer waiting in the wings, though, the right draft compensation could make it worth it for both sides.
