The Baltimore Ravens have ended their one-year working relationship with one of their backup quarterbacks.
NFL insider Tom Pelissero reported that the Ravens are releasing signal-caller Cooper Rush after one year with the football team. Rush signed a two-year contract last offseason as the backup quarterback to Lamar Jackson.
Last season, Rush started two games in place of Lamar Jackson, but lost both starts and struggled so badly in his second start that he was replaced by Tyler Huntley and would lose his second-string job. Rush completed 65.4% of his passes for 303 yards and four interceptions in four games.
Ravens release Cooper Rush after one season
The move comes as no surprise, as Rush struggled mightily in this offense last year. His signing last offseason had brought on many questions from the fan base, as no one thought that he was a fit for what Baltimore was doing offensively or even matching what Jackson's skill set is.
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Cooper Rush
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Cooper Rush | Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images
It was clear from the beginning of the preseason that Rush was going to struggle under center for the Ravens, and it unfortunately unfolded in front of the fan base in his two starts, where he went 0-2. Luckily for the Ravens, they had Huntley to step in, and he won both of his starts on the season.
Those season performances led to Huntley re-signing for a two-year deal with the Ravens, while Rush was released. The Ravens have seemed to make the right move there in getting the proper backup quarterback in place, as Huntley outplayed Rush by a mile.
This creates a unique situation in the offseason for the Ravens, as they now have to find a number three quarterback to fill the depth chart. Baltimore can either do that through free agency with a veteran quarterback or go into the 2026 NFL Draft to find a young signal caller to develop behind Huntley and Jackson.
The Ravens have typically been hit and miss on the quarterback front, with Jackson being the shining example over the last 10 years on a QB to take a chance on and it paying off. Baltimore should look at Day 3 to find a quarterback that can just sit on the bench for a few years to learn.
Rush's time in Baltimore was short-lived and rarely talked about by Ravens fans. He now moves on and can look for another team as Huntley decisively earns his QB2 job.
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