The Ravens Back-Up QB Fans Should Be Excited To See

It always felt like a cheap gimmick, the Ravens signing pugnacious quarterback Diego Pavia despite having nothing much in his athletic profile that portended NFL camp body let alone quarterback prospect.

They decided to end that charade before it began by waiving him to make room for new starting center Ethan Pocic on the roster. Smart move. That was a sleight of hand, anyway, and the quarterback on the roster who has never taken a snap for the organization before who actually merits some attention being paid to him is the one no one has seemingly talked about at all.

A lot of fans might not even know he's on the roster.

Perhaps I’m just a Skylar Thompson truther, if there are such people.

But I believe he can play in the league in a pinch, and I like his athletic toolkit and he’s been through some stuff and made some plays and I believe could actually give Snoop Huntley a bit of a push if the Ravens are truly open to it … I suspect they aren’t and he’s here to be QB 3 no matter what, but you never know.

Land Of Opportunity?

For the first time in a very long time the Ravens have a rookie head coach in Jesse Minter and an offensive coordinator who just turned 30 and has never called a play before. They are an open book, some of the old ways might not hold, and perhaps Declan Doyle – that new OC - will take a shine to Thompson.

It’s not difficult to surmise that the front office had a lot to do with Huntley coming back based on some things he’s done in the past and their comfort with him, but this is an entirely different offense for him and a new language to learn and he’s had some really low points in the past here even in a system that he had mastered. Honestly after that loss at home to Pittsburgh I figured that was it.

Back he came again last year when Cooper Rush was a total disaster, and good on him for taking full advantage and earning another contract here. I’m not sure this will be the most graceful transition for him, and believe Doyle will keep at least a somewhat open mind and Thompson might open some eyes. I think he will.

He is plenty mobile, he was a four-time captain in college, he is entering what should be his prime as a 2022 draft pick (though he did enter the league older at 25), he’s had a chance to play in big games and playoff games. Like Huntley, he is not going to wow you with huge throws down the sideline, but he is tough and has good sort and intermediate accuracy. He can put some touch on the longball.

He’s going to be very comfortable with the under center and play action concepts we anticipate are coming to this offense in a big way. A year ago this time Huntley was looking for work and the world of journeymen back-up QBs can be a lot middle relievers in MLB; serious variance from year to year.

Thompson is here for a reason, he’s looked the part in several pre-season games in the past and I suspect he ends up as much-needed depth in the QB room if nothing else. I don’t believe Huntley is significantly advanced from him, but Huntley obviously has benefactors in the building that Thompson does not as a newcomer.

If something happens to Lamar Jackson, there goes the season. That goes without saying. But Thompson is probably a little better than you think.

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