Ravens undrafted rookie QB stands out in Week 3 preseason grades as the cut-down day approaches

The 2026 NFL preseason may be entering its closing stretch, but the quarterback evaluation window is not. In a Week 3 recap of rookie quarterback performances, CBS Sports graded 17 quarterbacks who saw real action during the third week of the preseason, and it framed the results as the first true sorting of the year’s young passers in live game reps.

Within that group, the Ravens received specific attention. CBS Sports’ grading noted that an undrafted report-caller in Baltimore’s camp shined during the Week 3 action, giving the franchise something to examine beyond the headline names. For a team, that matters because early confidence is only half the equation, and the other half is what a young quarterback does when the margin tightens, the play-calling adjusts, and the roster picture starts to compress.

The timing is also significant. CBS Sports described the end of the preseason as “put[ting] a bow on” the summer work, with cut-down day looming. In practical terms, roster season forces teams to decide who can handle the job not just in favorable situations, but across entire drives, under game-plan constraints, and while competing for snaps in a structure where starters may be limited.

For the rookie quarterback class overall, the emphasis on Week 3 is telling. Preseason evaluation tends to shift as the weeks progress: early appearances can be about getting a baseline, while later reps become a test of decision-making, ball security, and the ability to operate efficiently with more complex looks. The CBS Sports grades were built around the idea that rookie quarterbacks are now nearing the point where teams need answers, not just flashes.

What to take away from the Ravens note is less about projecting a final depth chart based on a single week and more about whether a player separated from the pack when the league tightened the competitive environment. Undrafted quarterbacks sometimes face longer odds, but the development pathway in the NFL usually accelerates once a young passer proves they can process quickly enough to keep the offense moving.

Still, readers should view preseason quarterback grades as directional. The NFL uses roster and playing-time management during the preseason, so a quarterback’s assignment, the quality of opponents’ looks, and the amount of time a drive is allowed to unfold can affect statistical and scouting impressions. The “finishing touches” idea from CBS Sports underscores that these assessments are a snapshot of summer work just before the roster deadline.

In Baltimore’s case, the next step is straightforward: how the undrafted quarterback’s performance is weighed against the rest of the group through the remaining final preseason reps and into the initial regular-season roster decisions. If the team continues to trust him with meaningful series, it will report that the Week 3 grade was more than a moment, and it could reshape the competition for the top end of the quarterback room.