The Baltimore Ravens are in the middle of a whirlwind of free agency this year, filled with unexpected moves in this post-John Harbaugh era. Right after making some major changes to Lamar Jackson’s contract, they made a swift move to replace his backup by cutting ties with a former Dallas Cowboys signal caller, who spent the past season with the organization.

“The Ravens have released QB Cooper Rush,” noted the NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, confirming the departure.

Cooper Rush only arrived at the M&T Bank Stadium ahead of the 2025 season, primarily as the backup option for Lamar Jackson. He signed a contract worth $6.25 million, valid until the end of the 2027 season, giving him a guaranteed salary of $4 million. However, after his recent departure, the contract will see an early end, and the Ravens will carry dead money of $2.2 million.

After spending seven seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, Rush never quite found his rhythm in the Ravens’ system. As a Ravens player, Rush received the opportunity to play only four games in the 2025 campaign, starting two. He first stepped in during Week 4 against the Kansas City Chiefs after Jackson went down, completing nine of his 13 passes and keeping things steady. But the following weeks proved far tougher.

In his first start against the Houston Texans, Rush threw three interceptions in a lopsided 44-10 loss. The struggles continued the next week versus the Los Angeles Rams, where he was benched late after a performance that included just 72 passing yards and another interception. All this when the four-time Pro Bowler was sidelined due to a hamstring injury.

Despite starting two games, the 32-year-old failed to throw a passing TD, and the Ravens lost both games he started. Even so, the veteran player still brings plenty of experience. Over his career, Rush has appeared in 39 NFL games and holds a respectable 9-7 record as a starter. Much of that came while backing up Dak Prescott in Dallas, including a stretch in 2024 when he started eight games after Prescott’s injury and helped the team stay afloat with a 4-4 record.

In comparison, Jackson had an injury-hit last season, playing 13 games, but he still had over 2,500 passing yards and delivered 21 passing touchdowns. Given the vast gap in quality, the Ravens likely viewed Rush as an unreliable backup option moving forward. Now, with Huntley back in Baltimore, Rush finds himself searching for his next opportunity on the open market.

While the Ravens are making big moves in free agency, it has been made possible just a few hours after restructuring Lamar Jackson’s 2026 contract.

Lamar Jackson’s contract restructure frees up $40 million in cap space

Lamar Jackson has been the cornerstone of the Ravens’ offense for the past eight seasons, becoming the franchise’s most valuable player. Besides becoming the NFL Player of the Year twice, he is a four-time Pro Bowler, and his importance is reflected in his NFL contract.

He signed a five-year contract extension in 2023 for $260 million, which pays him an average salary of $52 million a year. Likewise, his cap hit for the 2026 season was $74.5 million, and it would have taken a big chunk of the Ravens’ salary space. Hence, his contract was restructured this season, freeing up approximately $40 million. He is set to be paid about $34.5 million for the 2026 campaign.

After backing out of the Maxx Crosby deal, the Ravens are bringing in four-time Pro Bowler DE Trey Hendrickson for four years in a $112 million contract. The freed-up money will primarily be used in this mega deal. Moreover, the fund can be used to bolster the squad through the NFL Draft this year.

The franchise players often rework their contracts to create additional salary cap space for the team. For example, the Buffalo Bills star Josh Allen recently revamped his contract to provide his team with an additional cap relief of approximately $12 million. Likewise, the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback restructured his contract for four consecutive years, generating a cap flexibility of approximately $43.6 million.