This offseason the Baltimore Ravens decided to part ways with quarterback Joe Flacco in favor of Lamar Jackson. Now Flacco is with the Broncos and besides Jackson, the only other signal-callers on the roster are Robert Griffin III and rookie Trace McSorley out of Penn St.
The most experienced of those QBs, Robert Griffin III, now appears to be out for most, if not all, of the preseason with fractured bones in his throwing hand. Though Griffin is expected to be ready around Week 1 of the regular season, it’s still very early in the recovery process.
Ravens’ QB Robert Griffin III is expected to be out 4-8 weeks with a hairline fracture in his right thumb, per source. Griffin injured his thumb tonight during practice.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 28, 2019
In the meantime, one would expect the Ravens to sign an additional quarterback to the roster, if for no other reason than to have a healthy body take reps in camp. (Insert obligatory mention of the Ravens-Kaepernick history.) They will most likely turn to a younger player, perhaps one that they could end up stashing on their practice squad – especially if Griffin isn’t ready for the start of the regular season and the team is obligated to keep McSorley on the active roster.
This season will be Griffin’s ninth in the NFL. He’s also spent time with the Washington Redskins and Cleveland Browns. Last season, with the emergence of Jackson, Griffin only saw action in three games, going 2-6 with 21 yards as a passer.
Given Griffin and Jackson’s style of play, the presence of the elder Griffin as a mentor-type figure to Jackson appears to be very beneficial for all sides. Thus, the hand injury shouldn’t be enough to make Baltimore considering releasing Griffin, though weirder things happen all the time in the NFL.
Last season, the Ravens won the AFC North by going 10-6. With Jackson as a starter, they were 6-1 in the regular season. However, Baltimore lost to the Chargers in the wild card round of the playoffs.
