Ravens sign another QB with Trace McSorley departing for Arizona

The Baltimore Ravens saw the departure of a former draft pick and fan favorite on Tuesday when quarterback Trace McSorley was signed off the team’s practice squad by the Arizona Cardinals.

With the Ravens in need of a new practice squad quarterback, they opted to bring back a familiar face in undrafted rookie Kenji Bahar.

Signed as an undrafted free agent out of Monmouth back in May, Bahar is a local Calvert Hall product who spent a lot of the summer with the organization.

There was no need to keep him around with Lamar Jackson, Tyler Huntley, and McSorley in the mix, but with McSorley now gone, the Ravens felt the need to add a third QB on their practice squad.

That player will be Bahar.

Kenji Bahar has returned to play for his hometown Ravens

Bahar was unimpressive in the summer and looked the part of an undrafted rookie QB out of an FCS school. But he’s now one injury (or illness) away from being thrust into a spot on the game-day active roster.

And who knows, that could come sooner rather than later.

Jackson was forced to miss this Sunday’s game due to an illness, and while the Ravens hope for him to return for the team’s Sunday night game against the Cleveland Browns this week, it’s not a given.

The former MVP has dealt with numerous illnesses this year including a second bout with COVID-19, although Week 11 was the first time he was forced to miss a game.

Ideally, the Ravens will never be forced to play Bahar. But he’s there as extra insurance in the form of a guy who knows the system well.

The Ravens also made a few other practice squad transactions signing cornerback Kevin Toliver and offensive tackle Jaryd Jones-Smith while releasing offensive tackle Adrian Ealy.

Toliver has played in 29 career NFL games, primarily with the Chicago Bears. He last played in 2020 where he made two appearances for the Denver Broncos.

Jones-Smith spent time on the Ravens’ practice squad earlier in the year and has been brought back, seemingly as Ealy’s replacement.

Ealy’s release comes as a bit of a surprise seeing as he was considered to be one of the team’s most high-profile undrafted signings.

The former Oklahoma product returned from a suspension this week, but the Ravens clearly weren’t impressed enough with his development to keep him around.