Lamar Jackson and the Ravens will have a new backup quarterback in 2025.
On Sunday, Baltimore agreed to a deal with longtime Dallas backup Cooper Rush, according to agency Equity Sports. Per The Athletic, the two-year contract is worth $6.2 million — $4.2 million guaranteed — and up to $12.2 million with incentives.
The 31-year-old Rush has spent nearly his entire career with the Cowboys since being signed as an undrafted free agent out of Central Michigan in 2017. Filling in for the injured Dak Prescott this past season, Rush threw for 1,844 yards and 12 touchdowns with five interceptions and posted a 83.8 passer rating over 12 games, eight of them starts. The 6-foot-3, 225-pound quarterback has made 14 starts and appeared in 38 games in his career, throwing 20 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while posting a career passer rating of 83.8.
Rush replaces Josh Johnson, who will turn 39 in May and attempted just three passes while appearing in six games last season. Of course, the hope is for Jackson to stay healthy and Rush to receive very little playing time as the Ravens aim to make the postseason for the seventh time in eight years and finally get over the hump in January to advance to the Super Bowl.
A backup quarterback wasn’t the only depth piece to come to terms with the Ravens over the weekend after the announced re-signing of guard Ben Cleveland to a one-year deal on Saturday. The 2021 third-round pick’s return came as a surprise to many after he was arrested for driving under the influence in Georgia last month and played a career-low 49 offensive snaps last season. However, the free-agent departures of versatile offensive linemen Patrick Mekari and Josh Jones last week left Baltimore with no experienced depth behind its projected offensive line starters, which opened the door for Cleveland’s return.
In four seasons with the Ravens, the 6-foot-6, 360-pound guard has made a total of seven starts and appeared in 54 games.
