The Baltimore Ravens signed quarterback Ryan Mallett, the team announced Tuesday. The deal includes a $1.5 million base salary for 2016 and up to $1 million in incentives, according to NFL Media's Ian Rapoport.
Ryan Mallett signs with Ravens
Mallett has been a free agent since he was dropped by the Texans after Week 7.
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Mallett became a free agent after the Houston Texans decided to cut ties with him following their 44-26 Week 7 blowout loss to the Dolphins. Mallett had missed the team's flight to Miami earlier in the week, and afterward Texans head coach Bill O'Brien had requested that Mallett be released. O'Brien was originally rebuffed by Houston GM Rick Smith, who didn't want to go into the Dolphins game with just one healthy quarterback, but just a couple days later the Texans decided to waive Mallett and sign T.J. Yates as their backup. Since then, Mallett hasn't been able to find a landing spot until Baltimore decided to give him a shot.
The Ravens are pretty desperate at quarterback after losing Joe Flacco for the year and with backup Matt Schaub also injured. Jimmy Clausen started for the team on Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks and was backed up by Bryn Renner, who was waived when the Ravens signed Mallett.
Mallett, who has a history of missing team meetings, appeared in six games for the Texans and led them to just one win. He’s completed 53 percent of his passes this season, which was the worst rate in the league at the time of his release, and has thrown three touchdowns and four interceptions.
The 27-year-old quarterback was selected out of Arkansas by the Patriots in the third round of the 2011 draft. He appeared in four games in three years in New England, before being traded to the Texans 2014 for a conditional draft pick. In Houston he was reunited with O'Brien, who had previously served as Mallett's offensive coordinator in New England.
Although Mallett was originally passed over by O'Brien in training camp and entered the season as Brian Hoyer's backup, he reclaimed the team's starting quarterback role midway through the Texans' season opener. However, he was benched for good during a Week 5 loss to the Colts.
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