Undrafted QB Joe Fagnano Defies All Odds And Makes Ravens 53-Man Roster

Ravens summer sensation quarterback Joe Fagnano defied all odds and expectations by cracking the team’s 53-man roster, according to a league source.

General manager Eric DeCosta did not want to risk losing him by moving him to the practice squad and Fagnano performed so well that even with back-up Snoop Huntley under contract and with pressing immediate needs at other positions, keeping Fagnano was a priority for them.

Fagnano went from camp arm to arguably the most efficient and productive quarterbacks in the NFL over three preseason games, displaying poise, accuracy, top decision making and an understanding of how to keep drives alive. He played with a concoction of linemen and skill guys who have no NFL pedigree, by and large, and excelled throwing to all position groups and operating an under-center offense that rookie coordinator Declan Doyle is installing that is foreign to most college programs.

Fagnano shattered any and all reasonable expectations this summer, and even with the Ravens paying Huntley early in the offseason to come back, Fagnano may be a better fit in this new scheme in many ways than Huntley is now. Huntley gives them an athletic type who can create off script, but this is an entirely new offense to that veteran as well, and keeping Fagnano points to what could be an eventual changing of the guard in terms of who is directly behind two-time MVP Lamar Jackson on the depth chart.

Fagnano, who played at UCONN and began his college career at Maine, would have been a significant loss at this point if he signed elsewhere. At age 25, he is mature and quickly grasped this offense despite getting precious few practice reps. He is the ideal third quarterback now, and keeping him in their QB room and developing him on the scout team is imperative. Especially considering Jackson is essentially in a walk year with an $85M cap hit and no-trade and no-tag clause for 2027; he can dictate whatever he wants about his future come next year.

Out Of His Hands

Fagnano, who checks the physical boxes at 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds, led all NFL quarterbacks in the preseason with 79 dropbacks (he was sacked just once) and 56 completions and 509 passing yards. He completed 75% of his passes and threw just one interception – very early in his debut in the first preseason game at the end of the first half; even that wasn’t egregious – and he looked and acted the part of an NFL back-up throughout the process.

He spread the ball around to all any open receivers, allowed play to operate, showed he can escape the pocket when necessary and capped his final game with a threaded, pinpoint touchdown pass to LaJohntay Wester from 21-yards out, avoiding leading him into the second defender and putting the ball where only the receiver could get it. (Fagnano sounds and acts a lot like early-career Joe Flacco, though without the extreme size and massive arm).

“It started with that first preseason game where he got that first real run … and to his credit he’s put it on tape,” rookie head coach Jesse Minter said after the preseason finale. “He’s put it out there. He’s been really consistent. He’s played a certain way almost all three games, and that’s definitely something we’ll have to take a look at.”

Fagnano said: “My goal coming in was just to make the most of my opportunities. What I can control is what I wanted to control; the stuff that’s out of my hands is out my hands. I think I’ve done a nice job to put myself in a good position. I can put my head on the pillow tonight knowing that I gave it all that I had.”

Perhaps most impressively, Fagnano was adept at the precise details of the under-center bootleg concepts Doyle favors, as a disciple of Broncos coach Sean Payton. Fagnano excelled at misdirection throws and under-center play action shots, leading all pre-season passers with 194 yards under center on 19-of-25 passing. Footwork and timing must be precise.

The Ravens could have gambled that with so many NFL veteran back-ups being released this weekend, and given his relatively advanced age and where he came from in college, teams would largely prefer to keep practice-squad quarterbacks who are already versed in their system and know their coaches and players. But they did not.

Considering where he was when veteran QB Skylar Thompson suddenly went on Injured Reserve, to now, securing a potential future in Baltimore in some capacity is a major accomplishment. Doyle will undoubtedly take pride in continuing Fagnano’s development, which will extend beyond leading the scout-team offense.

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