Ravens Urged to ‘Upgrade’ Josh Johnson With Former No. 8 Pick QB.
Nobody’s moving Lamar Jackson out of the starting quarterback role for the Baltimore Ravens, but the team could upgrade backup Josh Johnson by signing former eighth-overall draft pick Ryan Tannehill in 2024 NFL free agency.
It’s an idea floated by Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. Zrebiec did acknowledge Ravens “officials have said on multiple occasions they consider Josh Johnson to be the No. 2 behind Lamar Jackson. Rookie sixth-round pick Devin Leary projects as the No. 3. However, it would be hard to argue against the fact that Tannehill would be an upgrade over what the Ravens have as backup options.”
Tannehill’s pedigree is an obvious upgrade over that of journeyman Johnson as “a former Pro Bowl selection who has thrown for nearly 35,000 yards in his career, succeeded in a run-first offense and won playoff games.”
The positives for signing Tannehill extend to his familiarity with All-Pro running back Derrick Henry from their days with the Tennessee Titans. That experience would be useful, but there are other notable benefits to putting Tannehill behind Jackson on the depth chart.
Ryan Tannehill Fits Ravens’ Offense
Jackson leads a Baltimore offense still dependent on a power-based running game and play-action passing. Tannehill fits this scheme perfectly.
As a converted wide receiver who became a star QB1 at Texas A&M, Tannehill has always had natural dual-threat skills. He’s no Jackson on the run, but Tannehill has still averaged 4.8 yards per rush during his pro career.
The threat to run has made Tannehill prolific off of play action. He showcased the skill by “completing 7 of 9 passes for 168 yards” when the Titans faced the Los Angeles Chargers last season, per Next Gen Stats.
