Lamar Jackson is fresh off winning his second MVP award during a stellar 2023 season in which he led the Baltimore Ravens to the doorstep of the Super Bowl and a berth in the AFC Championship Game. However, the Ravens’ situation behind Jackson at quarterback is … murky at best.
If the season were to open today, Jackon’s top backup would be Josh Johnson, who’s appeared in 39 games and boasts a meager 1-8 record in games that he’s started.
Johnson, 38, has completed just 58 percent of his career passing attempts for 2,280 yards with 13 touchdowns to 16 interceptions while spending time with seven teams through the first eight NFL seasons. Overall, Johnson has played for 14 different teams.
However, the Ravens could add significant youthful upside to the quarterback room behind Jackson.
Would a Baltimore Ravens Trade for Trey Lance Make Sense?
CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin lists six teams that would be wise to upgrade their backup quarterback situation ahead of the 2024 season kicking off, including the Ravens.
Benjamin suggests former No. 3 overall pick of the San Francisco 49ers, and current Dallas Cowboys backup Trey Lance could be an ideal fit for the Ravens in a trade at some point later this summer.
“Johnson deserves props for his stamina, entering Year 17 with his record 14th different team,” Benjamin writes for CBS Sports. “But at 38, with only two passes thrown in the last two seasons, he’s not exactly a high-upside insurance plan for the reigning NFL MVP in Lamar Jackson.
“Lance, meanwhile, is a relative unknown due to his injury-stricken start with the San Francisco 49ers, but his youth (24) and rushing ability are pluses, and the Dallas Cowboys have yet to use him behind Dak Prescott, likely lowering his price tag.”
Lance is a relative unknown, having attempted just 102 career passes while already sustaining a pedal ankle fracture and dislocation in Week 2 of his second NFL season, in 2022.
Adding Lance would be a fascinating insurance policy for a quarterback like Jackson who takes a more physical toll because of his propensity for making big plays on the run, and potentially absorbing even bigger hits.
However, given that the Cowboys have yet to make a long-term commitment to Prescott, Dallas could view Lance as an affordable alternative should they allow the veteran quarterback to walk via free agency this upcoming offseason.
