Free agent quarterback Robert Griffin III is the favorite to reprise his role as the Baltimore Ravens backup quarterback, per ESPN’s Jamison Hensley.
With Lamar Jackson the only Ravens quarterback under contract for the 2019 season, the team will have to make a move on a backup quarterback in either free agency or the draft.
Griffin — a former Heisman Trophy winner and rookie phenom — had a brief but surprising resurgence last season. After a yearlong hiatus from the sport, Griffin dazzled in the preseason with Baltimore. Over four preseason games, Griffin completed 27-of-41 passes for 243 yards and three touchdowns while adding another 52 rushing yards on 11 rushing attempts. The performance was good enough that general managers around the league were reportedly calling up the Ravens, seeking to trade for Griffin.
Despite his impressive preseason run, Griffin saw very limited action with Baltimore in 2018, logging only 21 snaps and completing 2 of 6 passes for 21 yards. Nonetheless, Griffin still played an important role as a mentor to Jackson.
In a late January press conference, Ravens coach John Harbaugh indicated that he would prefer a backup with a skill set similar to Jackson’s and specifically pegged Griffin as a potential candidate. In that same conference, Harbaugh also mentioned current free agent and former Baltimore quarterback Tyrod Taylor as another player whom the team could be interested in, but Taylor signed this month with the Los Angeles Chargers.
