Josh Johnson signed with the Ravens last offseason, kicking off a third stint with the franchise. The journeyman quarterback is set to continue his time in Baltimore moving forward.
Johnson has agreed to terms on a new one-year Ravens deal, The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec reports. Zrebiec adds the contract has not been signed yet, but presuming that takes place, the 37-year-old will be in place to compete for the backup job.
Johnson did not see any playing time in 2023, with former UDFA Tyler Huntley occupying the second spot on the depth chart.
It was the latter who started Baltimore’s regular-season finale, a game that had no implications for the AFC’s No. 1 seed. That contest marked Huntley’s 10th overall start (and 22nd appearance) during his Baltimore career, which began in 2020.
After playing on an RFA tender in 2023, the 26-year-old is a free agent. The Ravens’ decision to keep Johnson in the fold (coupled with the midseason addition of Malik Cunningham) points to Huntley departing.
Johnson’s nomadic pro football journey began in 2009 after he was drafted by the Buccaneers. He saw playing time with Tampa Bay, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Washington before playing in the AAF and XFL.
The San Diego alum also has UFL experience on his resume to go along with tenures with a record 14 NFL franchises. Johnson was previously with the Ravens in 2016 and 2021, making one start in the latter campaign.
Regular-season action in 2024 would of course only come about if Lamar Jackson were to miss time and Johnson were to beat out Cunningham (a 2023 Patriots UDFA who was used as a receiver in New England but is viewed by Baltimore as a quarterback) or any further additions as the backup signal-caller.
With Jackson’s mega-extension in Year 2, the Ravens must be frugal concerning other QB deals. Johnson has never played on an NFL deal worth more than $1.3M per year, and that will no doubt continue on his latest Baltimore pact.
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