What a whirlwind of days it’s been for the Baltimore Ravens. They traded for Maxx Crosby only to back out after performing a physical test on the player. Then, minutes after, they signed Trey Hendrickson, but now, amid all the controversy, they’ve parted ways with with Lamar Jackson‘s backup Cooper Rush.
Hendrickson got quite the deal by the Ravens. Now, the Ravens have released quarterback Cooper Rush, per NBC Sports. The Ravens also re-signed Snoop Huntley to become Lamar Jackson’s backup. Rush had signed a two-year deal, but after just one, his time in Baltimore is up.
Huntley played for the Ravens from his rookie year in 2020 to 2023. He played six games in 2022, starting four of them and that earned him a Pro Bowl selection. After spending the 2024 season in Miami, he went back to Baltimore last year, and it seems like he beat Rush in the QB2 competition.
Huntley had a massive advantage over Rush
Rush is years older than Huntley, but the real disadvantage he faced is his style compared to Huntley’s. Being the backup of Lamar Jackson is no easy feat. He is the fastest, must mobile QB in the NFL. Rush is a pure pocket passer, not that mobile, so when he steps in, the playbook must dramatically change.
As for, Huntley, he is like a mini version of Jackson. He is mobile, he runs quite a lot and the playbook can remain almost exactly the same. Hence, it’s an easier transition. After all, Lamar has missed games in all but one season. Usually, the backup will need to step up for a couple of games.
Baltimore has plenty of cap space to work
After restructuring Lamar Jackson’s contract, signing Trey Hendrickson, and ditching the Crosby trade, Baltimore is in quite a great position. On the Lamar Jackson side of things, that freed up nearly $40 million in cap space. And without the Crosby trade, they kept this year’s and next year’s first round picks.
Hence, now the Ravens have plenty of room to move and keep building their roster. The Ravens are in prime position to continue bringing big-time names as they hope to go on a Super Bowl trip for once in Jackson’s career.