The Ravens are staring at a mess that looked unthinkable a few weeks ago.
Baltimore dropped to 4-5 after Thursday night’s loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, and the season has gone from promising to precarious in a hurry. With Lamar Jackson injured and possibly done for the year, the question hanging over the team is no longer whether this can be salvaged - it’s whether the Ravens should start thinking bigger and uglier than that.
The early returns this season were strong enough to fuel real optimism. Baltimore opened with a 41-23 win over the Indianapolis Colts, and Derrick Henry powered that victory with 144 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns.
Jackson was rolling, too, looking every bit like an MVP candidate while helping the Ravens get to 3-1. At that point, he had thrown for 967 yards, six touchdowns and just one interception, while also adding 144 rushing yards and a rushing score.
Then the injuries started to pile up.
Jackson went down with a high ankle sprain in the Ravens’ Week 4 win over the Tennessee Titans and missed the next three games. Tyler Huntley stepped in and went 1-2 as the starter, but the situation got even worse in Week 8.
Jackson was cleared to play against the Buffalo Bills, only to suffer a thumb injury on Baltimore’s first offensive snap. That injury eventually sent him to injured reserve.
Huntley then took over again before leaving with a season-ending toe injury in the second quarter, forcing third-string quarterback Joe Fagnano to finish the game.
By Thursday, the Ravens had already moved to patch the problem by trading for Jacoby Brissett. Hours later, they were blown out at home by the Jaguars, 33-10.
Baltimore still has enough talent to make this a complicated decision. Derrick Henry, Zay Flowers, Kyle Hamilton, and Trey Hendrickson give the roster real star power.
But with the losses mounting and the direction unclear, it wouldn’t be a shock if the Ravens started listening on pieces. Henry has already been tied to trade rumors.
The AFC North only makes the situation tougher. The Steelers, Bengals, and Browns all have winning records, and all three are ahead of Baltimore in the standings.
There is still a path forward if the Ravens can hang on. Jackson could potentially return late in the season, depending on how things unfold. But the organization also appears hesitant to sell, even with Henry and veteran cornerback Marlon Humphrey mentioned in trade chatter.
Baltimore’s final four games are all against division opponents, which means the season - and Jackson’s possible comeback - could still swing either way. If it doesn’t turn, the Ravens may be headed for a long offseason full of the same uncomfortable questions.
In Other News...
Jaguars Are Forcing Their Way Into The AFC Contender Debate
Through eight weeks, the Jaguars have done more than stay relevant in the AFC race. They have pushed themselves into the conversation with the kind of steady play that forces the rest of the conference to take notice. In a league where the Chiefs and Bills usually dominate the contender discussion, Jacksonville has earned a seat at the table by showing it can stack wins, handle pressure and look every bit like a team with playoff staying power.
What makes the Jaguars interesting is not just where they sit right now, but how they fit into a crowded field of hopefuls. The AFC remains loaded, and the margin between legitimate contender and good story is thin, especially with strong teams still sorting out their identities. Jacksonville has already done enough to be mentioned alongside the conferences best, and the real question now is whether this level of play is the start of something bigger or simply the opening act. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Face A Surprising Brian Thomas Jr Decision As Deadline Nears
The Jaguars have spent the season trying to build toward a competitive finish, but one of the more surprising questions hanging over the roster is what to do with Brian Thomas Jr. Despite his limited role in the offense, Jacksonville has been hesitant to move the wide receiver, even as the deadline approaches and the fit has clearly become less comfortable. For a team looking to add rather than subtract, it is an unusual spot to be in with a player whose playing time has already slipped.
Still, the trade chatter has not gone away, and the expectation around the league is that Thomas could be dealt before the deadline, potentially to a noncontending team looking for help at receiver. The Jaguars are weighing a decision that speaks to both the direction of the season and the way the offense has evolved, with Thomas now at the center of a move that would say plenty about where Jacksonville sees its immediate future. [Read more 🡒]
Jakobi Meyers Trade Looks Better Than Jaguars Fans Expected
When the Jaguars sent a 2026 fourth-rounder and sixth-rounder to the Raiders for Jakobi Meyers, it looked like the kind of midseason move that might need time to prove itself. ESPNs Seth Walder has now revisited the deal and moved Jacksonvilles grade from a C+ to a B+, a sign the early returns have been stronger than many expected. Meyers has fit into the offense well enough to draw an in-season contract extension, which is usually a pretty good indicator a trade is doing more than just filling a short-term need.
For Jacksonville, the appeal goes beyond what Meyers has already provided on the field. Walder pointed out that the move has also helped the Jaguars 2026 outlook, which matters when a team is trying to balance present production with future flexibility. The full value of the trade still depends on what comes next, but for now it looks like one of those deals that is aging better than the initial reaction suggested. [Read more 🡒]