New

Baltimore Ravens Make Trade For Quarterback After Lamar Jackson Injury

Help is on the way for the quarterback-deficient Baltimore Ravens. Eventually.

The team is trading for journeyman quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who was demoted to third-string earlier this week by the Arizona Cardinals after losing the starting job there to fellow longtime backup Gardner Minshew II.

But the Ravens, who plan to start undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano on Thursday night against the AFC South-leading Jacksonville Jaguars, were in desperate need of experience after Lamar Jackson, who was playing for the first time in a month, injured the thumb on his throwing hand Sunday in the team's first play from scrimmage at Buffalo. He will have surgery and may not play again this season.

Backup quarterback Tyler Huntley suffered a turf toe injury in relief of Jackson and gave way to Fagnano, whose regular-season debut ended with a 36-10 loss to the Bills. Huntley has since been ruled out for the season.

Jacoby Brissett trade terms

Neither the Ravens nor Cardinals have announced the apparently pending deal. According to ESPN and NFL Network, the Brissett swap won't be completed until this weekend, when compensation for Arizona will be set.

Why Jacoby Brissett trade makes sense for Ravens

Though Baltimore fell to 4-4 with Sunday's defeat and into last place in the AFC North, the Ravens clearly are not willing to give up on their season. That's effectively what they would have done without the trade for Brissett given the other QB options on the roster besides Fagnano are recently signed Kedon Slovis and Austin Reed − and none of them have started a regular-season game in the NFL.

Brissett, a third-round pick of the New England Patriots in 2016, has started 73 times, including eight for Arizona this year. His record is an uninspiring 23-50, but he's rarely played on teams as talented as Baltimore, which will become the seventh NFL franchise to employ him. He's long been a respected locker room presence who should quickly assimilate with the Ravens. But whether he can salvage their spiraling season is another question entirely. Unlike Jackson and Huntley, he is not a mobile player − meaning rookie offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, who worked with similarly dynamic Caleb Williams in Chicago last season, will likely have to alter his game-planning approach for Brissett significantly. Brissett hasn't had any professional crossover with Doyle nor his mentor, Bears coach Ben Johnson.

Why Jacoby Brissett trade makes sense for Cardinals

If you can get something for a QB3, why wouldn't you − especially a rebuilding squad like Arizona? Brissett completed 63.3% of his passes for 1,719 yards, 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions for a subpar 79.7 passer rating this season. He won three of his eight starts, though was credited for the W in Sunday's comeback at Dallas, which was spearheaded by Minshew once he was inserted into the lineup. With Minshew assuming QB1 duties, the Cards also promoted rookie Carson Beck into the primary backup role to get him more experience. Given Minshew is on an expiring contract, it's not clear who Arizona's starter will be in 2027.

Jacoby Brissett's contract

After replacing injured Kyler Murray early in the 2025 season, Brissett wound up starting 12 times for the Cardinals and passed for 23 touchdowns while elevating their offensive play even though the team went 1-11 with him in the lineup. After Arizona parted with Murray during the offseason, Brissett negotiated a one-year, $15.5 million deal to remain the Cards' starter in 2026. Though final terms of the transaction are being determined, Brissett will be owed the remaining portion of his $9.7 base salary, and the Ravens and Cardinals could choose to negotiate how much each side pays. The Cards are on the hook for $7.2 million in dead cap money in 2027, a void year in Brissett's contract. He is scheduled to reach free agency next March.

Who will start for the Ravens on 'Thursday Night Football'?

Baltimore is planning to deploy Fagnano, who has been dealing with an ankle injury, for his first NFL start as the league kicks off Week 9 with the Jags coming to M&T Bank Stadium. It's not clear whether Slovis and/or Reed will be active to back him up against Jacksonville's defense, which is allowing the second-fewest points in the NFL on a per-game basis. As details are ironed out for the Brissett trade, he must also still pass a physical with the Ravens.