The Baltimore Ravens suffered a big blow when it was announced that backup quarterback Robert Griffin III fractured his thumb at their stadium practice Saturday night and will miss four to eight weeks. Though the team is optimistic that he’ll be ready for Week 1, it’s far from certain that he will.
Regardless of when he returns, the Ravens need another quarterback for the remainder of training camp and the preseason. Depending on how Griffin’s thumb heals, they might need someone to take his backup role for the regular season as well. However, the quarterback market is extremely thin this late into the offseason. Most of the viable backup options have already signed with other teams.
But with no real choice, let’s take a look at the few quarterbacks the Ravens could bring in until Griffin is healthy.
Colin Kaepernick
We start off with a doozy that’s sure to get the fans’ attention.
Whether you like him or not, Kaepernick is the best quarterback on the free-agent market right now. He remains unsigned after settling a collusion lawsuit against the NFL this offseason. But given his starting experience, a solid arm and his mobility, Kaepernick is a viable option for Baltimore.
However, Kaepernick hasn’t played since 2016 when he was with the San Francisco 49ers. Though the 49ers would go 1-10 with Kaepernick at the helm, he had a reasonably good season on the stat sheet. He completed 59.2% of his 331 attempts (196 completions) for 2,241 yards, 16 touchdown passes and only four interceptions. Kaepernick also ran the football 69 times for 468 yards and two touchdowns.
By comparison, Jackson completed just 58.2% of his passes last season for roughly the same yards-per-attempt average and with a significantly higher interception percentage. Kaepernick averaged more yards on the ground than Jackson as well.
Kaepernick would be the ideal signing for Baltimore at this point and would best be able to replicate Griffin’s and Jackson’s play on the field. He also has familiarity with offensive coordinator Greg Roman as the pair teamed up in San Francisco. The question is whether Kaepernick is willing to sign a low-cost, short-term contract.
Josh Johnson
Johnson has been through Ravens training camp before. He was signed by the team as a camp arm in 2016 but was unable to secure a spot on the 53-man roster. However, he performed well enough in the preseason that year to earn a spot with the New York Giants once he was let go by Baltimore.
In four preseason games with the Ravens, Johnson completed 41 of 57 passes for 365 yards and one touchdown, while also rushing 18 times for 87 yards and two scores.
While Johnson might not be a long-term answer if Griffin misses time in the regular season, he’s a good option for an extra arm at training camp and in the preseason. Johnson is a mobile quarterback with a familiarity with the team and has starting experience in the NFL. With a thin group of quarterbacks available, that all adds up.
Brock Osweiler
Osweiler has had a quick fall from grace. Once dubbed as the savior of the Denver Broncos, he’s never found a long-term home. Osweiler has been with four different teams over seven seasons, including two stints with the Broncos.
In 49 career games, Osweiler has thrown for 7,418 yards and 37 touchdowns as opposed to 31 interceptions. He has a very strong arm and the capability to make throws into tight windows. He’s managed some success throughout his career, going 15-15 in 30 starts.
However, he’s not an ideal fit for Baltimore’s scheme. He’s not very mobile, which would cause the entire offense to dramatically change once he entered. Not to mention, any quarterback that signs a four-year, $72 million deal and is both traded and then released the following year has some serious red flags. But for a camp arm in a thin quarterback market, Osweiler isn’t the worst option available.
Josh McCown
McCown made NFL headlines when he decided to retire in mid-June. He was the definition of a journeyman, playing for 10 NFL teams in his 17 years in the league. While he couldn’t stick with a team, he was a very effective backup. In 99 games McCown threw for 17,707 yards, 98 touchdowns and 82 interceptions.
McCown isn’t very mobile but he has veteran leadership and plenty of experience to share with a young quarterback like Jackson. The main question with McCown is whether he would want to come out of retirement to possibly only be a camp body for a few weeks.
He currently works for ESPN as an NFL analyst. So, if he’s happy with that job and content with retirement, that would make him a serious long shot.
