Injuries leave Baltimore scrambling
The Baltimore Ravens enter Thursday’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars with a decimated quarterback room, compounding a 4-4 start that has left the team at the bottom of the AFC North, according to Yardbarker.
Lamar Jackson suffered a right thumb injury on his first throw in Sunday’s 36-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills, and reports say surgery is planned and he is headed to injured reserve. Head coach Jesse Minter confirmed that Jackson would be placed on injured reserve, Clutch Points reported.
Backup Tyler Huntley exited the same game with a toe injury and could also be placed on injured reserve, Yardbarker and Clutch Points reported.
Rookies and newcomers thrust into the spotlight
Undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano—who was forced into his NFL regular-season debut after Jackson and Huntley went down—remains in the picture as the expected starter for Thursday, Yardbarker reported. Clutch Points additionally reported that Fagnano is now dealing with an ankle injury.
To provide depth, Baltimore has signed Kedon Slovis to its 53-man roster off the Green Bay Packers’ practice squad and re-signed Austin Reed to the practice squad, sources reported (Yahoo! News; Yardbarker). Those moves come as the Ravens consider short-term options to get through a suddenly thin quarterback room.
A stark statistic underlines the problem
The depth issue was underscored by a blunt comparison highlighted by CBS writer Doug Clawson: Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry has four career pass touchdowns—more than the three quarterback options available to the Ravens this week (Joe Fagnano, Austin Reed and Kedon Slovis), who have zero career pass TDs between them, Yardbarker reported.
The quip captures the immediate challenge facing Baltimore’s offense: limited starting experience and little margin for error against a Jaguars defense expecting to exploit the instability under center.
Short-term options and lingering questions
Yahoo! News reported the Ravens have also shown interest in acquiring a veteran quarterback, though that was described as a report rather than a confirmed move.
With Jackson headed to injured reserve and Huntley’s future uncertain, Baltimore’s Thursday-night decision will be shaped by Fagnano’s availability, the readiness of newly acquired Kedon Slovis and Austin Reed, and whether the front office can secure a more experienced option. For now, the Ravens must navigate a pivotal stretch with makeshift depth and a passer-room stat that offers a blunt measure of how thin they’ve become.
