Raven Country

Ravens New QB Shares First Impressions of Offense

The veteran free agent signing likes the Baltimore Ravens scheme he admired from afar and now gets to be a part of.

Josh Reed

Dec 9, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush (10) throws as Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle B.J. Hill (92) defends during the first half at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
Dec 9, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush (10) throws as Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle B.J. Hill (92) defends during the first half at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
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As a member of the Dallas Cowboys for the 2024 season, veteran backup quarterback Cooper Rush got a front row seat to the type of offense he’ll be a part of after signing a two-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens earlier this week.

“Last year with Dallas, we played the AFC North so I got to see them a little more on film and they can kind of do it all,” Rush said in a recent episode of The Lounge podcast. “They can run it, they can throw it. I think they took a huge step.”

The Ravens and Cowboys squared off in Week 3 of the 2024 season and Rush’s new team avoided falling into the dreaded 0-3 start by racking up 412 yards of total offense in a 28-25 win that included recording a then-season-high of 274 rushing yards.

Since hiring offensive coordinator Todd Monken to replace Greg Roman during the 2023 offseason, the Ravens have fielded one of the most potent and balanced offenses in the league over the past two seasons.

Rush was accurate with his assertion that the unit “took a huge step” last year as the 2024 Ravens became the first team in NFL history whose offense finished with 4,000-plus passing yards and 3,000-plus rushing yards in a single season.

“They can really evolve to whatever they need to be that day and they can do it,” Rush said.

After receiving his second league MVP honor in the first year of Monken’s offensive scheme in 2023, franchise quarterback Lamar Jackson took his game to an even more elite level in 2024. The three-time All Pro became the first player ever to throw for 4,000-plus yards and run for 800-plus yards in the same season by finishing with career-highs in passing yards (4,172) and touchdowns (41). He also had the best touchdown to interception ratio and his passer rating of 119.6 ranks in the top five all-time.

After spending the first eight years of his career serving as the primary backup to Dak Prescott for the Cowboys, the 31-year-old will be doing the same behind Jackson, an opportunity he didn’t think was a possibility heading into free agency.

Rush claims the Ravens interest in him was late in the process and came out of nowhere but he was “super excited” nonetheless when his agent called and told him they wanted to bring him in.

“The Ravens are a well-run, good organization, obviously tons of success, especially recently,” Rush said.

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Josh Reed
JOSH REED

Josh is a writer for Baltimore Ravens On SI focusing primarily on original content and reporting. He provides analysis, breakdowns, profiles, and reports on important news and transactions from and about the Ravens. His professional resume as a sports reporter includes covering local events, teams, and athletes in his hometown of Anchorage, Alaska for Anchorage Daily News. His coverage on the Ravens and other NFL teams has been featured on Heavy.com/sports, Maryland Sports Blog and most recently Baltimore Beatdown from 2021 until 2025.

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