The Ravens had to act fast after Sunday’s loss to the Bills left them scrambling at quarterback, and they’ve found a stopgap in Jacoby Brissett.
Baltimore is finalizing a trade for Brissett, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The deal is expected to be completed over the weekend, or after the Ravens face the Jaguars on Thursday night, with undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano lined up to start in that game.
The need was obvious. Lamar Jackson went down with a broken finger that will require surgery and could keep him out for the rest of the season, and ESPN reported Wednesday that Tyler Huntley suffered a season-ending turf-toe injury. That left Baltimore thin in a hurry, and Brissett gives the team a veteran answer while it waits out the injuries.
Brissett brings experience and production to the table. This season, he has completed 63.3% of his passes for 1,719 yards, 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
He may not be the flashiest quarterback available, but he gives the Ravens a chance to stay competitive on offense without forcing the team to pay a steep price or compromise its future. The move also reconnects him with Ravens quarterbacks coach Israel Woolfork, who coached him in Arizona in 2025.
For Baltimore, that makes this a sensible pickup in a desperate spot. With the return package not yet announced, the deal lands at a tentative “B+” for now.
Arizona, meanwhile, has moved on after Brissett was benched in favor of Gardner Minshew II during the second half of the Cardinals’ win over the Cowboys. Minshew sparked a 33-30 victory and was named the starter. The Cardinals then promoted third-round rookie Carson Beck to the backup role, pushing Brissett to third string.
That shift made Brissett expendable, and the timing worked in Arizona’s favor. With the trade deadline approaching next week and Brissett set to become a free agent next offseason, the Cardinals had a chance to get something back for a quarterback who was no longer in line to start. In a season where they were already planning to lean on Minshew, that return matters.
Arizona also gets a tentative “B+” for the move, mainly because it turned a benching into value.
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