The Ravens finally have their veteran quarterback. Baltimore announced Friday that its trade for Jacoby Brissett is official, acquiring the 33-year-old from the Arizona Cardinals one day after a 33-10 home loss to Jacksonville made the need impossible to ignore.
The Ravens send Arizona a 2027 fourth-round pick and a 2028 seventh-round pick. In return, they get Brissett and a 2027 fifth-round pick.
Brissett is expected to start Baltimore's next game, a Monday Night Football matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers on Nov. 16 at M&T Bank Stadium.
Trade Terms at a Glance
| Ravens receive | Cardinals receive |
|---|---|
| QB Jacoby Brissett | 2027 fourth-round pick |
| 2027 fifth-round pick | 2028 seventh-round pick |
For Baltimore, the price is modest. The deal amounts to sliding back one round in the 2027 draft and giving up a 2028 seventh-rounder in exchange for a starting-caliber veteran who has been through this exact situation before.
Why the Ravens Needed Brissett Now
Baltimore's quarterback room fell apart in a single afternoon. Lamar Jackson (right thumb) and Tyler Huntley (right toe) were both injured in last Sunday's loss to Buffalo and landed on injured reserve, leaving undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano to make his first career start on a short week.
Fagnano played through an ankle injury Thursday and finished 10 of 18 for 60 yards with two interceptions as Jacksonville rolled. Without a quarterback who could stretch the field, the Ravens leaned on Wildcat snaps for Derrick Henry and a passing game built almost entirely on short throws, and once they fell behind by two scores, there was no path back.
The loss was Baltimore's fourth straight and dropped the Ravens to 4-5. With eight games left, the margin for another lost week is gone.
Head coach Jesse Minter wouldn't discuss the trade before it became official, but made clear after Thursday's game that he expected the organization to act. "I know that our front office and ownership are going to do what is necessary to give us a chance," Minter said.
A Veteran Locker Room Gets a Veteran Quarterback
The Ravens' roster was built to win now. Henry, 32, just moved into seventh place on the NFL's all-time rushing list. Center Cam Jurgens has stabilized an offensive line that has cycled through combinations all season, and the core leadership group of Roquan Smith, Kyle Hamilton, Calais Campbell, Ronnie Stanley and Mark Andrews is in the middle of its window, not at the start of one.
That's why a steady hand matters more than upside here. Brissett doesn't need to be Jackson. He needs to run the offense cleanly, keep the Ravens out of the pre-snap mistakes and turnovers that have buried them during the losing streak, and give defenses enough of a passing threat that they can't stack the box against Henry.
Henry welcomed the move before it was finalized. "We need all hands on deck. I feel like [Jacoby Brissett] can come in and help us," he said Thursday. "We'll be excited to have him, and we'll see where it goes."
Stanley offered a dose of realism. "[Jacoby Brissett]'s going to bring his experience and all the time he's spent through the league. I think that'll bode well for us," the left tackle said. "But there's a lot of things that we need to fix on our end. I don't think anyone can just come in and fix all the problems."
How Brissett Became Available
Brissett's time in Arizona ended abruptly. The Cardinals benched him for Gardner Minshew in the second half of last Sunday's game against Dallas and then dropped him to third on the depth chart, making him one of the few experienced starters realistically available before the trade deadline.
He had been one of Arizona's captains, and the 2025 season had been the best of his career. Taking over as the Cardinals' starter, Brissett set career highs in pass attempts (485), completions (315), completion percentage (64.9), passing yards (3,366), touchdown passes (23) and passer rating (94.1).
Across 20 starts in Arizona, he completed 64.4% of his passes (508 of 789) for 5,085 yards, 33 touchdowns and 15 interceptions, good for an 88.6 passer rating.
Jacoby Brissett Career Stats
An 11-year veteran and 2016 third-round pick out of NC State by New England, Brissett has started 73 of the 109 games he has played.
| Category | Career | With Arizona (20 starts) | 2025 (career highs) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Completions-attempts | 1,584 of 2,551 | 508 of 789 | 315 of 485 |
| Completion % | 62.1 | 64.4 | 64.9 |
| Passing yards | 16,485 | 5,085 | 3,366 |
| Passing TDs | 86 | 33 | 23 |
| Interceptions | 39 | 15 | — |
| Passer rating | 85.6 | 88.6 | 94.1 |
He has also run for 1,232 yards and 17 touchdowns in his career, giving Baltimore a quarterback who can extend a play or pick up a short-yardage first down without the offense having to abandon its run-first identity.
A Seven-Team Journey
Baltimore is Brissett's seventh NFL franchise and eighth stop overall.
| Team | Seasons |
|---|---|
| New England Patriots | 2016, 2024 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 2017-20 |
| Miami Dolphins | 2021 |
| Cleveland Browns | 2022 |
| Washington Commanders | 2023 |
| Arizona Cardinals | 2025-26 |
| Baltimore Ravens | 2026 |
He won a Super Bowl ring as a rookie with New England's Super Bowl LI team, and in 2020 he was the Colts' nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award. More than once in his career he has been handed the keys midseason, often on short notice, and kept an offense functional, which is precisely the job description in Baltimore.
What Happens to Joe Fagnano
Fagnano is expected to return to a backup role. Minter went out of his way to praise the rookie after Thursday's loss, pointing to the three days of preparation he had while playing through his own injury. "I have tons of respect for Joe [Fagnano] and how he operated and how he played," Minter said.
Minter also declined to say whether Jackson has had surgery or could return later this season, so Brissett's runway could be anywhere from a few weeks to the rest of the year.
Up Next: Brissett's Ravens Debut vs. the Chargers
Brissett gets a mini-bye to learn Declan Doyle's offense before facing the winless Chargers. A win would get Baltimore back to .500 at 5-5 and keep the Ravens in the AFC playoff conversation, while another loss would leave them chasing from three games under with seven to play.
Matchup: Los Angeles Chargers at Baltimore Ravens
When: Monday, Nov. 16 (Monday Night Football)
Where: M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore