Baltimore is desperate at this point.
After losing their starting quarterback, Lamar Jackson, to an injured thumb on the first play from scrimmage during Sunday’s blowout 36-10 loss to the Bills, while also losing their backup later in the game and seeing their third-stringer get banged up, the Ravens are just about ready to have open tryouts at quarterback
The Ravens signed quarterback Kedon Slovis to the 53-man roster from the Packers’ practice squad on Tuesday morning as options grow slim for them on a short week, with a clash against the Jaguars looming on “Thursday Night Football.”
They also signed quarterback Austin Reed on Monday to their practice squad amid a bevy of injuries.
Jackson has since been placed on injured reserve with a potentially season-ending injury, while Tyler Huntley is also dealing with turf toe that he sustained in the game against the Bills. That thrust Joe Fagnano into the game as the emergency quarterback.
Fagnano apparently sustained an ankle injury as well on a hit to his left leg and was estimated as a limited participant in Monday’s practice.
With it unknown whether Fagnano will be able to start for the Ravens, it’s desperation time for the Ravens.
Ravens coach Jesse Minter will surely earn his salary this week, as he prepares to face a good Jaguars team on a short week, potentially without a quarterback who even knows the system.
Slovis previously was the quarterback for the USC Trojans from 2019-21 and wound up transferring to Pittsburgh in 2022 and BYU in 2023.
He infamously led a loaded group of Trojan playmakers to a disappointing 9-4 record as his team included stars like Michael Pittman Jr., Drake London and Amon-Ra St. Brown.
Should he get the start on Thursday, he might have at least some familiarity with the offense as Ravens quarterbacks coach Israel Woolfork had Slovis on the Cardinals roster last season. He played in two games and completed one pass on two attempts in mop-up duty for Arizona.
