The Ravens are 4-4, Lamar Jackson is headed to injured reserve after undergoing thumb surgery on his throwing hand, and suddenly Baltimore has a much bigger problem than anyone could have imagined even just a few days ago. Jackson had already missed three games with a high-ankle sprain before returning Sunday against Buffalo, only to injure his thumb on his first play back. Backup Tyler Huntley also left that game with a toe injury; undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano was pressed into action and looked like, well, an undrafted rookie who had taken exactly zero reps with the first team.
And with the NFL trade deadline approaching, Baltimore has to decide whether to stick with its current QB room or find help elsewhere. The Ravens could look to trade for an experienced quarterback. But there's another option worth considering: a younger, largely unproven backup whose upside -- and familiarity with Baltimore's offense -- could make him an appealing target.
And that brings us to Bears backup Tyson Bagent. According to Pro Football Talk, Baltimore could explore trading for Bagent, although acquiring him "won't be cheap." How expensive? Chicago Tribune reporter Brad Biggs suggested back in February that it could take a second-round pick, or equivalent compensation, to convince the Bears to make a deal.
That wasn't a reported asking price, but it tells you something about how Chicago values its backup quarterback. And if you're Baltimore, that's where things get complicated. Because while Bagent might give the Ravens their best chance to remain competitive until Jackson returns -- assuming he returns this season -- we're still talking about a former undrafted free agent with six career starts, three touchdown passes and nine interceptions.
So how much is that worth? And what does history tell us about teams trading valuable draft picks for largely unproven quarterbacks? There's an obvious reason Bagent's name has surfaced in connection with the Ravens, and it goes beyond their suddenly depleted quarterback room.
Offensive coordinator Declan Doyle spent last season in Chicago in the same role, where he worked directly with Bagent. And Doyle wasn't shy about how he felt about the quarterback. "Tyson is no-nonsense," Doyle said during training camp in 2025.
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