Baltimore faces a strong Jacksonville team on Thursday night with its third-string quarterback starting, while questions swirl about Lamar Jackson's future with the team.
The Baltimore Ravens enter Thursday night's game against Jacksonville with a quarterback situation nobody saw coming two months ago. Lamar Jackson dislocated his right thumb on his first play back from an ankle injury last Sunday, and backup Tyler Huntley then injured his toe in the same game. Both are now on injured reserve.
That leaves Joe Fagnano, an undrafted rookie who was largely unknown outside of preseason football circles until this week, as Baltimore's starting quarterback against a Jaguars team that is playing well. Help is reportedly on the way for next week, with the Ravens said to be finalizing a deal for Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett, but that does nothing for Fagnano's first career start on Thursday.
Beyond the immediate scramble, Jackson's injury has reopened bigger questions about his long-term future in Baltimore. He is under contract for one more season, and the Ravens cannot use the franchise or transition tag to keep him from reaching unrestricted free agency in March 2028. Contract extension talks stalled earlier this year for reasons neither side has explained, and some analysts are now openly asking whether Jackson has played his last game for the franchise.