Ravens Trade for Jacoby Brissett in Effort to Steady a Slipping Season

The Baltimore Ravens have lost three consecutive games, seen star quarterback Lamar Jackson sidelined indefinitely and watched their postseason chances shrink dramatically. Even so, the franchise is not conceding the 2026 season at its midpoint. Baltimore is finalizing a trade for Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, a move that signals the organization still intends to compete even if stabilizing the season is a more realistic goal than rescuing it.

The Ravens sit at 4-4 and in last place in the AFC North. According to ESPN Analytics, Baltimore holds just a 6.4% chance of reaching the playoffs and an 0.5% chance of winning the division. Given those numbers and the uncertainty around Jackson, general manager Eric DeCosta could have chosen to punt on the final nine games, trading away starters to stockpile picks for what is expected to be a loaded 2027 draft. Instead, he elected to add a veteran quarterback.

Injuries at the position have devastated Baltimore. Jackson is expected to be placed on injured reserve with a right thumb injury suffered in Sunday's 36-10 loss at the Buffalo Bills, and he could miss the remainder of the season. On top of that, top backup Tyler "Snoop" Huntley is out for the year with turf toe, according to Schefter and Rapoport.

The Ravens' desperation is evident in their plans for Thursday night's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano, who practiced with a brace on his injured right ankle, is set to start. The other active quarterbacks, Kedon Slovis and Austin Reed, were both signed within the past three days. Between them, Fagnano, Slovis and Reed have combined for zero previous starts, 23 pass attempts and no touchdown throws.

Brissett, 33, brings experience but not a winning pedigree. He has never posted a winning record in any of his 11 NFL seasons and has lost 16 of his past 19 starts. His career mark of 23-50, a .315 winning percentage, ranks as the second worst in the league among quarterbacks with at least 50 starts over the past decade, ahead of only Justin Fields at 16-37, or .302. The Cardinals, 3-5, benched Brissett and dropped him to third on their depth chart, which is why he became available.

Baltimore does have some familiarity with the veteran. Ravens quarterbacks coach Israel Woolfork held the same role with Brissett in Arizona last season, and the trade offers hope of curbing the free fall in Jesse Minter's first year as head coach and Declan Doyle's first as offensive playcaller. Brissett has thrown 86 career touchdowns, giving the Ravens a chance to revive a stagnant offense.

That offense has been held to 14 points or fewer in three straight games, something Baltimore had not endured in 21 years. Despite missing Jackson for much of the season, the Ravens still field playmakers in running back Derrick Henry and wide receiver Zay Flowers, but over the past three weeks they have ranked among the league's worst units, plagued by off-target throws, poor offensive line play and penalties. Since Week 6, Baltimore has committed more false starts, eight, than it has scored touchdowns, three.

It is a startling reversal for a team that entered the season among the Super Bowl favorites and opened 4-1 before Jackson hurt an ankle and a hand. With half the schedule remaining, several Ravens aged 30 or older, including Henry, defensive end Calais Campbell and offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley, are in no position to accept a lost year. The challenge is steep if Jackson does not return: since 2019, Baltimore is 7-14, a .333 winning percentage, in games Jackson has not started. Brissett gives the Ravens a better option under center than they had, though whether he can actually turn the season around remains an open question.