After the Ravens lost quarterbacks Lamar Jackson (ankle) and Tyler Huntley (toe) to long-term injuries in last week's loss to the Buffalo Bills, pundits put Arizona Cardinals veteran Jacoby Brissett at the top of the list of quarterbacks the Ravens should attempt to trade for.
On Tuesday, ESPN's Adam Schefter and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that the Ravens are indeed finalizing a trade for the well-traveled Brissett, who has made 73 starts over 11 seasons, including eight this year with the Cardinals. The deal is expected to be finalized this weekend.
Brissett, 33, was replaced by Gardner Minshew II in the Cardinals' comeback win over the Dallas Cowboys last Sunday, and Cardinals Head Coach Mike LaFleur announced Monday that Brissett would be the No. 3 quarterback moving forward behind Minshew II and third-round rookie Carson Beck.
Brissett is slated to make his Ravens debut in Week 10 against the visiting Los Angeles Chargers on "Monday Night Football." Undrafted rookie quarterback Joe Fagnano will make his first NFL start in tonight's home game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The biggest takeaway from the addition of Brissett is that the Ravens are not giving up on trying to make the playoffs.
"I love that the Ravens traded that the Ravens traded for Jacoby Brissett," CBS Sports analyst Ross Tucker said on the "Ross Tucker Podcast." "They're going to give those guys in that locker room a shot this year – a chance to win every game with a veteran quarterback."
Here's a look at what pundits said about the Ravens acquiring Brissett:
ESPN's Pat McAfee: "Jacoby Brissett is definitely a leader, vocal leader, will do everything that he can possibly do to make the team better. … Great leader. I can't stress that enough. … He's been a part of every offensive system. When he was playing for the Colts, I was pushing for him to win MVP – then he got hurt."
Sports Illustrated’s Eva Geitheim: "Grade: B+. Brissett is a great option for the Ravens' situation. He's experienced and gives the Ravens a solid starter for the remainder of the season. This year, he's completed 63.3% of his passes for 1,719 yards, 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions. While he might not be the best quarterback on the market, he will give the Ravens a chance to win games and remain respectable on offense. He also is not costly and won't mortgage the team's future as they manage a desperate situation. … The move will also reunite Brissett with Ravens Quarterbacks Coach Israel Woolfork, who coached him in Arizona in 2025, providing him with some familiarity in his new stop."
A to Z Sports’ Rob Gregson: "If a late-round pick really does turn out to be all the Ravens gave up for Brissett, then I think it's a great move. I grade it out as a B+. … Maybe Brissett comes in, reignites this offense, and the Ravens make a run to the playoffs. He's proven he can manage a game and keep an offense on schedule, and Baltimore still has talent around the quarterback position. Either way, Baltimore probably didn't spend a lot of capital to find out. Low risk, potential reward, and at least the Ravens are trying to salvage something from a season that has gone sideways."
Yahoo! Sports’ Frank Schwab: "Grade: B-. "Nobody should believe Brissett will save Baltimore's season and help them win the division. The Ravens are 4-4 and will be starting undrafted rookie Fagnano against a good Jaguars team on Thursday. But Brissett was the best option available, and he at least makes sure the Ravens aren't playing out the string with uncompetitive football for two months. And maybe a miracle happens and the Ravens are still in contention by the time Jackson returns — if he can."
The Baltimore Sun’s Sam Cohn: "The stars aligned here. Within days, the Ravens realized they needed quarterback help, fast. And the Cardinals demoted Brissett to their No. 3 quarterback. If you're Eric DeCosta, you're scouring the market for someone with NFL experience who can find at least one familiar face on his new coaching staff. Brissett has 73 NFL starts; that's 73 more than Baltimore's three quarterbacks combined. He also crossed paths with Ravens Quarterback Coach Israel Woolfork while in Arizona."
The Baltimore Sun’s Brian Wacker: "Jacoby Brissett at least gives them a crafty veteran with plenty of experience who, in the organization's eyes, can help keep hope afloat in a division where no one is probably going to run away and hide. … Will he lead them to the Super Bowl? No. Could he potentially land them in the playoffs? Probably not, but he at least gives them an opportunity to play reasonable offensive football while still allowing young receivers and tight ends to develop. It will cost the Ravens little in draft capital and money and signals they're not waving the white flag on the season with the trade deadline looming."
ESPN’s Jamison Hensley: "Brissett, 33, provides much-needed experience at quarterback but not a winning track record. He's never had a winning record in any of his 11 NFL seasons, losing 16 of his past 19 starts. His career record of 23-50 (.315) is the second worst in the NFL among quarterbacks with at least 50 starts over the past decade. The only quarterback with a worse record over that span is Justin Fields (16-37, .302). … The addition of Brissett gives the Ravens a better option at quarterback than they had. But it remains to be seen whether Brissett improves their chances at turning the season around."
The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec: "For a battered Ravens team simply seeking a steady hand at quarterback, Brissett's value comes down to the basics: protecting the football, making sound decisions, getting the ball out quickly and playing ahead of the sticks."
Baltimore Beatdown’s Nikhil Mehta: "I have long been a Jacoby Brissett fan. Turns out, so is Eric DeCosta! This is hardly a surprising trade considering the Ravens' injury crisis at quarterback, and Brissett is exactly the type of bridge passer I expected the team to pick up. Look, we all like Joe Fagnano, but the undrafted rookie out of UConn simply is not ready to command an NFL offense. Fans will debate if the Ravens should even be trying to win games for the rest of the season, but this franchise was never going to throw in the towel. Brissett can provide a base level of play for as long as the Ravens need it. Keeping the team's playoff hopes alive is another question entirely."
Jaguars Are Near-Unanimous Pick to Beat Ravens
The Ravens have lost three in a row and are starting a rookie third-string quarterback. The Jaguars (5-2) are in first place in the AFC South and looking like a Super Bowl contender.
Unsurprisingly, the Ravens are 10-point underdogs, and only one pundit of the 44 who got their picks in by this morning have Baltimore winning. Of the 31 who predicted the score, 28 have Jacksonville winning by double-digits.
Here's a look at what pundits are saying about the game:
The injury-depleted Ravens are simply overmatched.
Zrebiec: "When you're down to your No. 3 quarterback and even he's nowhere close to 100 percent, this is a 'throw a bunch of things at the wall game and hope a few stick' for the Ravens. Wildcat, trick plays, fake punts, nonstop blitzes, etc. I just don't think the Ravens are good enough or healthy enough right now to beat the Jaguars."
Baltimore Positive’s Luke Jones: "[Jaguars quarterback] Trevor Lawrence has been playing terrific football since halfway through last season, and this Ravens defense hasn't proven capable of playing a full 60 minutes against an offense of this quality. While I can envision Baltimore hanging tough for a half like we watched in Buffalo, reality will eventually set in."
The Athletic’s Nick Kostonos: "Awaiting Fagnano and the Ravens? The 5-2 Jacksonville Jaguars, off a 42-7 humiliation of the spiraling Colts. Trevor Lawrence is playing the best football of his career, and the defense gets to feast on an undrafted rookie. Good luck, Fagnano! … Jacksonville [wins] easily, even potentially without star running back Bhayshul Tuten, to further the Ravens misery."
USA Today’s Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz: "With Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley both hurt and Derrick Henry sputtering, the Ravens approach midseason essentially rudderless. Getting a short week to prepare for a top contender under these circumstances seems like a disaster. Baltimore's only hope is a full-on unraveling by Jacksonville, but Trevor Lawrence should be able to take whatever he's given to comfortably direct an easy win and potential blowout."
Cohn: "The Ravens haven't yet proven they can defend home turf against elite offenses. I believe a Joe Fagnano-led offense can put points on the board, butI don't expect this one to be close."
CBS Sports’ John Breech: "I don't know if the Jags are going to win the Super Bowl, but I do think they roll to a win on Thursday night."
The Ravens won't win, but they can keep it close.
The Baltimore Sun’s C.J. Doon: "The NFL is unpredictable, and 'Thursday Night Football' even more so. Jacksonville has clear advantages across the board, especially Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars' offense going up against a struggling Ravens defense. But running back Bhayshul Tuten might not play after missing practice all week, and he's been a big part of coach Liam Coen's attack. Could Baltimore actually limit the big plays and drag Jacksonville into a tight game? …. Maybe the Ravens can actually do this? But then I think about everything that has to go right, and I can't get there. Jacksonville is just too good."
The Baltimore Sun’s Josh Tolentino: "Feeding Zay Flowers and making strides in run blocking could give Baltimore a path to an upset, provided the defense can finally hold up its end for four quarters. The Ravens will probably need a few takeaways to pull this off."
The Baltimore Banner’s Childs Walker: "The Jaguars have been better at home, and a Thursday night road trip is always a difficult assignment. They could be pulled into a messier, closer game than expected. But Ravens fandom is shell-shocked and unlikely to give the home team a raucous boost. There's no logical reason to pick an upset here."
The defense and running game need to step up for the Ravens to have a chance.
NFL.com’s Dan Parr: "Thursday would be a great time for Jesse Minter to pull a rabbit out of a hat. He made his bones as a defensive coordinator, and he still has elite talent to work with on that side of the ball, including All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton. Of course, Baltimore won't have any hope on Thursday night if it can't get two-time rushing king Derrick Henry going. He has not reached 60 rushing yards in any game during the team's losing streak, and now he'll face a defense that will undoubtedly be expecting a steady diet of Henry carries, with an undrafted rookie making his first career start under center. The Jaguars have the No. 1 rushing defense in the NFL and allow a league-low 3.4 yards per carry, but that unit will be tested following the loss of run-stuffing defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton, who suffered a season-ending torn quadriceps muscle last week."
Here's how pundits picked Ravens vs. Jaguars:
ESPN: 5 of 5 panelists pick Jaguars / NA
Baltimore Sun: 6 of 7 panelists pick Jaguars / "The Ravens are down to undrafted rookie free agent Joe Fagnano at quarterback. The Jaguars boast the NFL's top-ranked rushing defense, second-ranked scoring defense and third-ranked defense in defense-adjusted value over average." – Brian Wacker
Baltimore Banner: 5 of 5 panelists pick Jaguars / "'Thursday Night Football' games can create their own special kind of crazy, but the Ravens are double-digit underdogs for a reason — well, a bunch of reasons, actually. On paper, Jacksonville has the advantage in almost every unit-by-unit matchup. The Ravens will need Joe Fagnano and their pass defense to channel their preseason form. Good luck doing that against a Jaguars team that's playing like a Super Bowl contender." – Jonas Shaffer
USA Today: 6 of 6 panelists pick Jaguars / NA
NFL Network: 10 of 10 panelists pick Jaguars / NA
Sporting News: Jaguars 27, Ravens 14 / "Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars' running game have reached new heights in Liam Coen's offense, and for the Ravens' reeling defense, that can feel like a carbon copy of the Bills game, this time in Baltimore instead of Buffalo. The Ravens need to scramble for QB competency in a short week and the Jaguars' run defense can keep Derrick Henry in check."— Vinnie Iyer
CBS Sports: 2 of 2 panelists pick Jaguars / "The Jaguars get a break on a short week, not having to face Lamar Jackson at quarterback. The Ravens are a different team without him and now must play rookie Joe Fagnano. Trevor Lawrence is playing at a high level and the run game is going well. Look for the Jaguars to win a road game on a short week." — Pete Prisco
Sports Illustrated: 8 of 8 panelists pick Ravens / NA
Fagnano's Former College Coach Says Undrafted Rooke 'Is Unflappable'
Jim L. Mora knows Fagnano well, as he was the head coach at Connecticut during Fagnano's three seasons at the school, and he doesn't think the undrafted rookie will be overwhelmed in his first NFL start.
"I haven't seen a moment yet that's too big for Joe," Mora, now the head coach at Colorado State, told The Baltimore Sun’s Josh Tolentino. "I just think that's how he's built.
"He's got the same steady demeanor as a guy like Joe Montana. He's not going to get flustered. He's not going to lose his cool. The consistency of his actions and his personality more than anything else, that's always stood out. Joey is unflappable."
Mora expects Fagnano to have a long career in the NFL.
"Joey, in my opinion, is a guy that'll play 12 to 15 years in the league," Mora said. "I don't know that he'll be a starter all the time, but he'll be in the league because he's dependable, he's trustworthy, he's a high-character guy. He's always going to be ready."
