Baltimore’s preseason quarterback picture has taken a sharp turn, and Joe Fagnano is right at the center of it.
The undrafted rookie turned in another strong outing in the Ravens’ win over the Minnesota Vikings, finishing 15 of 20 for 123 yards and a touchdown. He also posted a 106.9 passer rating, adding another clean, efficient performance to what has already become a loud preseason case.
That matters in Baltimore, where the club spent the two years before 2026 relying on Devin Leary as the QB3. That move did not work out well. This summer has looked very different, with Fagnano emerging as a preseason darling and making the Ravens look far more comfortable at the back end of the quarterback room.
Through two weeks, Fagnano has completed 37 of 48 passes for 347 yards and two touchdowns. The only real blemish came with a very bad interception in Week 1 against the Philadelphia Eagles. Outside of that, he has been close to spotless, and his poise and ball placement have stood out.
He has also simply been Baltimore’s best quarterback in the preseason. Tyler Huntley remains the backup behind Lamar Jackson, and Fagnano does not have a path to taking that job.
But the QB3 competition? He appears to be winning it with ease.
Austin Reed, who was brought in late to replace Skylar Thompson, has been limited to sparse work. He has mostly been getting fourth-quarter snaps while Fagnano has handled the bulk of the opportunities, and that workload alone says plenty about where the competition stands.
If Fagnano does not make the 53-man roster, he would need to clear waivers. Given that he is an undrafted rookie quarterback, the Ravens should have a strong shot at keeping him around, since that profile usually does not draw much waiver attention from around the league.
Ideally, Baltimore never has to call on him in 2026. If he does end up taking starting reps, that would mean the Ravens ran into some brutal injury luck. Still, after what happened at quarterback last year with Lamar Jackson, having Fagnano available as depth could end up being a real asset.
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