The Ravens placed quarterback Skylar Thompson on injured reserve Wednesday with an undisclosed injury and signed free agent Austin Reed in the corresponding move.
Thompson had missed practice Sunday and Tuesday before the move. He signed with Baltimore in May on a one-year deal with no guaranteed money, competing for the No. 3 job behind Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley, and was regarded as unlikely to unseat Huntley for the backup role even before the injury.
Reed, 26, arrives after a record-setting UFL season with the Dallas Renegades, throwing for 1,923 yards and a league-record 21 touchdowns — including 376 yards and three scores in his season debut, also a UFL single-game record — despite a 9-interception, 4-6 season as Dallas' starter. He went undrafted out of Western Kentucky in 2024 after stops at Southern Illinois and Division II West Florida, and spent the 2024 and 2025 offseasons with the Bears practice squad, going 23-of-33 for 230 yards and a touchdown across five preseason appearances.
The connection to Baltimore runs through offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, who coached Reed in Chicago before taking the Ravens' job. "I had him in Chicago, and I am excited to have him in the room with us. I'm sure he'll do a great job," Doyle said after Wednesday's practice.
Reed wasn't the only option Baltimore considered. Per NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, the Ravens worked out four quarterbacks Wednesday — Reed, Trevor Siemian, Jake Haener, and Clayton Tune — before landing on Reed.
He now joins Jackson, Huntley, and undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano as Baltimore's four healthy quarterbacks heading into Saturday's preseason opener against the Eagles. Huntley is set to start that game, with head coach Jesse Minter already confirming Jackson won't play. Reed figures to compete directly with Fagnano for a roster spot once final cuts arrive, with the job Thompson once held now up for grabs.