With Joe Flacco on his way out after 11 seasons as the Baltimore Ravens quarterback, the team is in the process of rebuilding the quarterbacks room around new starter Lamar Jackson — the only Baltimore quarterback under contract for 2019. Part of that change should involve bringing in a capable backup arm or two to mentor, support — and, if necessary — supplant the young quarterback.
With free agency set to open in just a few short weeks, here are some names the Ravens should consider in their quarterback search:
Robert Griffin III
Set to become a free agent after signing a one-year deal with Baltimore last offseason, Griffin profiles as a sensible low-cost option who is already well acquainted with the Ravens. With Baltimore coach John Harbaugh indicating in January that he’d prefer a backup quarterback with a similar skill set to Jackson’s, signing Griffin makes sense from both fiscal and personnel standpoints.
Tyrod Taylor
Another mobile quarterback who is familiar with the organization, Taylor played four seasons with the Ravens after the team selected him in the sixth round of the 2011 draft. He was mentioned, along with Griffin, by Harbaugh as someone Baltimore could bring in.
Matt Schaub
Though not a mobile quarterback, the 38-year-old would bring a steady, veteran presence to the table. While Schaub is far removed from his prime — when he was named a Pro Bowler in 2009 and 2012 — he would constitute a low-risk, no-nonsense signing for the Ravens who could contribute on the field if needed and off it as a mentor. It also doesn’t hurt that he spent 2015 with Baltimore, going 1-1 in two starts.
Josh Johnson
Having played for a few months on the Ravens practice squad in 2015, Johnson is another available quarterback with Baltimore ties. After spending time with 11 teams since entering the NFL in 2009, Johnson finally nabbed his first win as a starting quarterback in Week 15 last season with the Washington Redskins. Johnson will turn 33 this spring but has plenty of mileage left, especially given that he only has 268 in-game throws over his career.
