Ravens smartly add QB insurance plan for playoffs
It seems the only thing that can stop the Ravens (10-3), who sit atop the AFC as the No. 1 seed with just four weeks left in the regular season, is injuries. That is why their latest addition makes too much sense with the playoffs on the horizon.
Baltimore signed QB Malik Cunningham, an undrafted rookie in 2023, off the Patriots practice squad and onto its 53-man roster on Tuesday, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. The rookie quarterback reunites with Lamar Jackson, who he was teammates with at Louisville for one season in 2017.
It was a smart move by the Ravens after being one and done in the postseason a year ago when Jackson suffered a sprained PCL late in the season and never returned.
The team is surely hoping it can stay healthy this time around, but Cunningham gives the team an interesting option if Jackson were to go down again.
Cunningham also joins quarterbacks Tyler Huntley and Josh Johnson on the roster, which means he may not even be the next man up if Jackson were to get injured. But Baltimore has a good track record with double-threat quarterbacks from Louisville.
The 25-year-old threw for 9,664 yards, 70 touchdowns and 29 interceptions from 2018-22. He also added 3,182 yards and 50 touchdowns on the ground.
His former teammates in New England clearly believe he can be a special talent in the NFL, with one posting "go flourish where your talent is respected."
And is there a better mentor for Cunningham than Jackson, who he has likely molded his play by watching?
The hope, obviously, is that Cunningham never sees the field for the Ravens this season. But if he does need to step in for a game or two, it may not be the worst scenario in the world.
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