The Baltimore Ravens moved to shore up their quarterback depth on Monday by signing Austin Reed to the practice squad, a transaction that also cleared fullback Lucas Scott from the same unit.
The addition arrives at a delicate moment for the offense. Lamar Jackson is dealing with a thumb injury that is expected to land him on injured reserve, while Tyler Huntley is limited by a toe issue.
That leaves undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano as the only healthy quarterback on the active roster, and he is poised to make his regular-season debut on Thursday Night Football against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
With so little time to prepare a newcomer, Reed’s recent familiarity with the Ravens’ scheme makes him a practical choice to serve as the primary backup for the short-week contest.
Reed spent a portion of training camp and the preseason with Baltimore earlier this year after the club signed him in mid-August.
He appeared in all three preseason games, completing six of twelve passes for fifty-nine yards with one touchdown and one interception, and he also scored on a fourteen-yard run.
Those limited snaps, combined with earlier exposure to offensive coordinator Declan Doyle during a brief stint with the Chicago Bears, give him a head start on the playbook that most free-agent quarterbacks would lack.
If Fagnano holds up through the week, Reed is the logical candidate to stand behind him on Thursday.
The 26-year-old’s path to the NFL has been circuitous.
He began his college career at Southern Illinois, transferred to West Florida, and ultimately landed at Western Kentucky, where he earned Conference USA Newcomer of the Year honors and second-team All-CUSA recognition in 2022 while leading the Football Bowl Subdivision in passing yards.
Over six seasons he started 52 games, compiling a 38-14 record, 14,488 passing yards, and 138 touchdowns against 36 interceptions, while adding 20 rushing scores.
After going undrafted in 2024, he signed with the Bears as a free agent, spent time on their practice squad, and later played in the United Football League with the Dallas Renegades, where he posted strong production that included a league-high 21 touchdown passes in one season.
Reed’s personal story has also drawn attention. He is the father of twin daughters who were born prematurely in 2025; while they were in intensive care, he continued to play and lead the Renegades in passing as he tried to support his family.
That resilience, paired with his prior exposure to the Ravens, makes the practice-squad signing a low-risk way for Baltimore to add an experienced arm on short notice.
Whether the move is temporary or the first step toward a longer stay will depend on how quickly Jackson and Huntley recover and how the team manages the remainder of the season.
For now, Reed provides an immediate option who already knows the terminology and the personnel.
