Ravens face quarterback uncertainty before Jaguars game

Baltimore Ravens coach Jesse Minter said on Monday that the team has not finalized its starting quarterback for Thursday Night Football against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The uncertainty follows Sunday's 36-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills, which left the team with injuries to its top two signal callers.

Two-time MVP Lamar Jackson and backup Tyler Huntley were hurt during the game against Buffalo. Rookie Joe Fagnano completed the second half but was seen icing his right ankle on the sideline. Fagnano told reporters after the game that he was not fully healthy. Minter described Fagnano as "kind of fighting through a couple things he’s dealing with" on Monday.

The Ravens signed Austin Reed to their practice squad on Monday. Reed went undrafted in 2024 and played under offensive coordinator Declan Doyle with the Chicago Bears. During the Ravens' preseason, Reed completed six of 12 passes for 59 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He also scored a rushing touchdown. Minter expects Fagnano to "have a chance" to play but noted the team is "kind of working through some things" to make the final decision.

Minter provided no specific timeline for Jackson's return. The quarterback has not yet had surgery on his thumb, and the coach declined to detail the injury. The team expects to know more about Jackson's status sometime this week. Huntley is "probably" out for the upcoming game, with a long-term outlook to be determined later.

The injury list expanded to include kicker Tyler Loop, who may move to injured reserve with a right groin injury. An IR stint would keep him out for at least four games. Loop is 13-for-17 on field goals this season. He missed a 34-yard attempt in Sunday's loss but made a 26-yarder. He is 4-for-8 on kicks between 30 and 49 yards. Practice squad kicker Jake Moody will take over kicking duties on Thursday. Moody was 19-for-23 on field goals for the San Francisco 49ers, Chicago Bears, and Washington Commanders last season.

Offensive guard Vega Ioane is close to returning from a knee injury. The rookie has played in seven games and switched to center in Week 3 when the team lost all three starting centers. As a center from Weeks 4 through 6, he allowed only four pressures on 117 pass blocks. That 3.4% pressure rate ranked third lowest among centers with at least 50 pass blocks. Ioane said he felt confident he could play against Jacksonville and wanted to avoid being "a liability to the team" while not ready.

The Ravens had 18 players on their injury report for Monday. Nose tackle John Jenkins (knee) and right tackle Roger Rosengarten (ankle) were new additions. Outside linebacker Trey Hendrickson, guard John Simpson, and linebacker Roquan Smith all have new ailments on top of their existing injuries. Safety Jaylinn Hawkins did not practice due to a knee injury. Left tackle Ronnie Stanley remains a limited participant with rest, toe, and ankle issues.

The offensive line allowed quarterbacks to be pressured on 55% of drop-backs against the Bills. That included quick pressures of 2.5 seconds or less on 20% of attempts. Ioane said the line does not need to be told their performance was insufficient. He expressed "big faith" in the group, noting that the players who went on the field did their job to the best of their ability.