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          NFL Nation

          Why the Ravens are interested in Matt Schaub

          Matt Schaub isn't flashy, but he's experienced and inexpensive, which is what the Ravens need. Cary Edmondson/USA TODAY Sports
          • Jamison Hensley, ESPN Staff WriterMar 31, 2015, 08:00 AM ET
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              Jamison Hensley is a reporter covering the Baltimore Ravens for ESPN. Jamison joined ESPN in 2011, covering the AFC North before focusing exclusively on the Ravens beginning in 2013. Jamison won the National Sports Media Association Maryland Sportswriter of the Year award in 2018, and he authored a book titled: Flying High: Stories of the Baltimore Ravens. He was the Ravens beat writer for the Baltimore Sun from 2000-2011.
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          The Baltimore Ravens have a meeting scheduled with quarterback Matt Schaub, according to The Baltimore Sun.

          Yes, he's the quarterback known more for throwing scoring passes to the defense than to his own receivers over the last two seasons. Schaub set an NFL record in 2013 with an interception returned for a touchdown in four straight games while with Houston, and he threw another pick-six last season in a backup role in Oakland.

          So why would the Ravens be interested in him? The Ravens want an experienced but inexpensive quarterback who is willing to accept one of the least glamorous backup roles in football. It's a job that won't pay much given the Ravens' limited salary cap space. The Ravens can't offer much as far as playing time because Joe Flacco has never missed a start in seven NFL seasons. The primary backup quarterback in Baltimore has been a mere spectator since 2008, from Todd Bouman to Troy Smith to Marc Bulger to Tyrod Taylor.

          The list of quarterbacks who would be lining up for this type of a job is not going to be a long one. Some quarterbacks will want more money, and others will seek a better chance of playing.

          The news that five teams have reportedly shown interest in Schaub -- the Falcons, Titans, Jets and Cowboys are the others -- is an indication of how few options there are at quarterback right now.

          Tarvaris Jackson looks like he'll head back to Seattle. Michael Vick comes with baggage and an uninspired 2014 season. And Matt Flynn has flamed out everywhere except Green Bay.

          The best fit for the Ravens is Jason Campbell. He has the arm strength needed for Marc Trestman's offense and has a knowledge of the division after playing in Cleveland and Cincinnati. It's unknown whether Campbell would be interested in the Ravens' backup job.

          That brings the conversation back to Schaub, who has the best track record of the remaining free-agent quarterbacks. He won 40 games in a five-year stretch (2008-12) with the Texans, throwing for over 4,000 yards three times. Schaub went to the Pro Bowl in 2012.

          It's the last two seasons that are so unsettling. Schaub got benched in Houston in 2013 and got beat out by a rookie for the starting job in Oakland last season. In meeting with Schaub, the Ravens need to get a handle on where Schaub is mentally more than anything else.

          The Ravens' backup spot is a need after Taylor signed with the Buffalo Bills in free agency. Coach John Harbaugh can't hand over the No. 2 role to Keith Wenning, who spent his entire rookie season on the practice squad. But Flacco's durability lessens the priority of finding a backup QB. That's why Schaub could fit what the Ravens are looking for at that position.