The Cleveland Browns had to make a tough decision with their quarterback room and ultimately cut longtime veteran Tyler Huntley instead of 2023 fifth-round pick Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Huntley might not be as good as his Pro Bowl status would indicate, but the former undrafted free agent is good enough to be a reliable backup in the right offense. The quarterback appeared in 20 games from 2020 to 2023, making nine starts while completing 64.6% of his passes for 1,957 yards, eight touchdowns, and seven interceptions while adding another 509 yards and three scores on the ground.
While they lacked top-end talent, the Browns had arguably the deepest quarterback room in the league, leaving them no choice but to cut Tyler Huntley. Most teams don’t have that type of depth, which means the four-year veteran could land with a team like the Baltimore Ravens or Carolina Panthers that could use an upgrade at the most important position in sports.
Ravens, Panthers Could Sign Tyler Huntley After Unceremonious Cut
After a brief divorce, nobody should be surprised if Tyler Huntley and the Baltimore Ravens get back together following his cut from the Cleveland Browns. Huntley entered the league with Baltimore, making a name for himself while playing in relief of Lamar Jackson and proving that he could keep the offense afloat in the event of injury. While he’s clearly not as good as the two-time MVP, he’s probably the best thing Baltimore could find at this point in the offseason. Seeing as Jackson missed significant time in two of the past three seasons, the Ravens should invest in a reliable Plan B at the quarterback position.
Right now, the Ravens won’t stand a chance if something happens to Lamar Jackson. Josh Johnson is the only other quarterback on this roster, and he is simply not an NFL-caliber player. The longtime veteran has played for just about every organization in the league and has never found a long-term home. Tyler Huntley cannot guide this team to the Super Bowl, but the cut candidate could keep the offense on schedule if Jackson had to miss a few weeks in the regular season. This is more than Johnson can say, which is more than enough to justify a signing.
More Veteran Arms
The jury is still out on whether or not Bryce Young can be a franchise quarterback, but the 2023 first-overall pick will have at least a portion of the 2024 season to make his case. However, if he fails to improve, a brand-new Panthers coaching staff might not give him a full 17 games. Andy Dalton is one of the most reliable backups in the league, but head coach Dave Canales recently said the team wants to add another arm to the mix. While they didn’t add anyone notable during the preseason, perhaps they’ll turn to Tyler Huntley with the roster cut deadline over and done with.
Stylistically speaking, Huntley is much closer to Bryce Young than Andy Dalton is. While both quarterbacks are high-end backups at this stage in their career, Canales likely wouldn’t need to change the playbook as much to adjust for Huntley’s set of skills. Nobody could’ve had an MVP-caliber season with the 2023 Panthers, but guys like wide receiver Diontae Johnson, guard Robert Hunt, and 2023 first-round pick Xavier Legette will allow a quarterback of Huntley’s caliber to succeed if called upon.
Main Photo: Joe Nicholson – USA Today Sports
