The Baltimore Ravens are adding another quarterback to lead a team devastated by injuries, according to ESPN. Baltimore has agreed to trade for Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett. The deal is expected to be finalized this weekend and compensation has not been finalized.
Two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson suffered a thumb injury that required surgery during his first pass attempt against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. This could potentially be a season-ending injury. Jackson’s replacement, Tyler Huntley, came in and suffered a season-ending toe injury, leaving undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano as the likely candidate to start the Ravens’ Week 9 game against Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday night. However, he is also suffering from an ankle injury.
Brissett spent the last two seasons in Arizona. The Cardinals recently demoted him from starter to third baseman after the arrival of Gardner Minshew on Sunday, who threw three touchdowns and helped Arizona erase a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Dallas Cowboys in overtime, 33-30. Brissett completed 10 of 23 passes for 119 yards and an interception before being replaced.
Brissett, who turns 34 next month, completed 63.3 percent of his passes for 1,719 yards, 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions in eight games this season. CBS Sports Research points out that his 75.6 yards per game against tight end Trey McBride entering Week 8 was the most by a QB-TE combo since 1970 (min. 15 games). This is the second time he has been traded in his career, and the Ravens are his seventh team.
While Brissett can’t replace what Jackson brought to this Ravens offense, he is an experienced quarterback who has started 73 games (23-50) and thrown 86 more touchdowns than the rest of the Ravens’ healthy quarterbacks combined. His career interception percentage of 1.5% is also tied for the second lowest in NFL history behind Aaron Rodgers’ 1.4%.
Brissett is one of five quarterbacks in the last 365 days to total 4,000 yards and 25 touchdowns, joining a list that includes Drake Maye, Matthew Stafford, Jared Goff and Dak Prescott. He also improves his own situation. Over the past calendar year, the Cardinals allowed 32.6 points per game, four points more than any other team in the NFL. The Ravens have allowed 10 fewer points per game (22.6) during the same span.
Baltimore sits in the basement of the AFC North at 4-4, but is hoping a veteran under center can propel the Ravens to a playoff spot.
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