Former Chicago Bears quarterback Austin Reed has received major career news in the form of a promotion with the Baltimore Ravens for Thursday Night Football.
The Ravens officially signed Reed — a former standout UDFA in Chicago — to their 53-man roster hours before Thursday night’s kickoff against the Jacksonville Jaguars, promoting him from their practice squad to serve as rookie Joe Fagnano’s backup.
Reed signed with the Ravens’ practice squad earlier this week after significant injuries to both Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley thrust Baltimore’s quarterback room into disarray. They have also spent the week with injury questions about Fagnano, the undrafted rookie who played in Week 8’s loss after Jackson and Huntley both exited.
Fagnano is in line to start for the Ravens on Thursday night after clearing the injury report before the matchup, but he practiced with a large brace on his ankle this week.
Reed would likely be the top option to replace Fagnano if he had to exit Thursday night’s game against the Jaguars — though Kedon Slovis is also on the roster.
Austin Reed Earned QB3 Role for Bears as UDFA in 2024
Reed could have an opportunity to play his first regular-season NFL snaps for the Ravens on Thursday night if they must turn to their backup quarterback at any point against the Jaguars but he got his start in the league with Chicago in 2024.
After going undrafted out of Western Kentucky, Reed signed with the Bears as an undrafted rookie free agent, but he faced a tough situation trying to make the team with No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams and Tyson Bagent penciled into the top spots.
The Bears also had veteran Brett Rypien vying for the No. 3 quarterback job, putting Reed at long odds to stick around past the 53-man roster cutdown deadline.
Ultimately, Reed missed the active-roster cut, but the Bears brought him back as their third-string quarterback on the practice squad when Rypien signed with Minnesota.
Reed remained with the Bears through the 2025 offseason and training camp, but the Bears — and their new coaching staff under Ben Johnson — made securing the No. 3 spot much harder after signing veteran Case Keenum to help mentor the group.
In the end, the Bears kept Williams, Bagent and Keenum as the three quarterbacks on their active roster and forewent a fourth quarterback on the practice squad.
Austin Reed Has Bears Coaching Connection With Ravens
After the Bears cut Reed at the 2025 roster deadline, he did not find another NFL home until he signed with the Ravens this past August during their 2026 training camp.
Reed didn’t just sit back and do nothing while out of the league, though.
In the spring, Reed put himself back on the NFL scouting map when he shined in the UFL as the Dallas Renegades’ starting quarterback. He broke the league record with 21 touchdown passes and finished second with 1,923 passing yards over his 10 starts.
Reed also set a single-game record with 376 passing yards, showcasing the potential of his arm and decision-making at a critical scouting juncture in the NFL offseason.
The Ravens were intrigued enough to bring in Reed for the final few weeks of camp, and it may have helped that Reed had already worked with offensive coordinator Declan Doyle — who coached Reed in the same role in Chicago through the 2025 offseason and may have had a say in his recent return to Baltimore amid injuries.
The Ravens will kick off against the Jaguars at 8:15 p.m. ET tonight.
Ex-Bears Quarterback Gets Major Career News Before TNF With Ravens