Should Ravens sign QB Ryan Tannehill after poor performance by the backups in preseason opener?
Offensive highlights were hard to come by for the Baltimore Ravens in their 16-13 preseason loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. The Ravens had trouble moving the ball through the air, finishing the game with a measly 82 passing yards on 22 completions between veteran quarterback Josh Johnson and rookie sixth-rounder Devin Leary.
The passing attack was not expected to light up the scoreboard when two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson and several other starters were not on the field. Still, Baltimore cannot be pleased with such a meager operation.
The performance has led to questions regarding the state of the Ravens’ quarterback room and the dire outlook if Jackson were to miss any time during the season. With this in mind, should Baltimore look to add another signal caller to serve as a potential backup to Jackson?
With the bulk of the offseason already over, throwing another quarterback in the mix to compete with the 38-year-old Johnson could be difficult, especially considering that the established journeyman spent last year in the system. A new quarterback would have to catch up quickly to supplant Johnson as the No. 2 option behind Jackson, but that doesn’t mean the Ravens still can’t look to add another veteran to the mix to act as a third quarterback with the potential to become the primary backup down the road.
A popular name being thrown around is quarterback Ryan Tannehill. Tannehill, 36, turned his career around when he joined the Tennessee Titans in 2019 following an up-and-down seven-year stint with the Miami Dolphins. Tannehill’s efforts in leading the Titans to a playoff berth in his first season with the team earned him Comeback Player of the Year honors and a spot in the Pro Bowl. Once in the playoffs, Tennessee knocked off Tom Brady and the Patriots in the wild-card round and a 14-2 Baltimore squad in the divisional round the next week before losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship.
Tannehill’s last season with the Titans in 2023 was rocky, as he threw for four touchdowns and seven interceptions in eight games as the starter. Still, the veteran can win a few games with a talented team such as the Ravens if Jackson were to go down. The primary question at this point is Tannehill’s asking price and whether or not he is content as a backup or would rather wait it out and see if another team comes calling later in the season due to an injury to their starting quarterback.
Another plus for Tannehill is his experience alongside running back Derrick Henry, whom the Ravens signed this offseason. The two were together for the entirety of Tannehill’s time in Tennessee.
In the end, if Jackson goes down for an extended period with an injury, Baltimore’s chances as a serious contender will plummet. A quarterback like Tannehill could help wade through muddy waters in the possibility that Jackson would miss only a handful of games. The Cleveland Browns were indeed thankful to have quarterback Joe Flacco last season following the season-ending injury to Deshaun Watson, as the former Raven led the team to the playoffs straight from the couch.
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