Shortly after being let go by the Browns, Tyler Huntley is positioned to return to his original team. The veteran quarterback is expected to re-join the Ravens, per veteran reporter Jordan Schultz.
Huntley joined Baltimore as an undrafted free agent in 2019, and he made his first regular season appearances the following season. The Utah alum ultimately earned the backup gig, and across the past four years he has totaled 21 appearances and 10 starts. Those figures include the Ravens’ wild-card loss in the 2022 playoffs as he filled in for an injured Lamar Jackson.
In 2023 – the first year of Jackson’s monster extension – the two-time MVP was able to remain healthy for a full campaign. That limited Huntley’s workload to four appearances in mop-up duty before getting the start for a Week 18 contest after the Ravens had clinched the AFC’s No. 1 seed. The Utah product signed a one-year deal with the Browns in free agency with Baltimore electing to lean on journeyman Josh Johnson for the QB2 gig.
Cleveland also signed Jameis Winston in free agency, however, and the former No. 1 pick was retained after the team reportedly tried to find a trade partner for either he or Huntley. Roster cuts came and went without a deal being made on that front, but with the Browns also carrying Deshaun Watson and Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Huntley became the odd man out on the depth chart. He will now return to Baltimore in a bid to further build his free agent stock.
The 26-year-old will join the Ravens via a practice squad deal, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic confirms. Baltimore had one open spot on the taxi squad going into Friday, and Huntley will now fill it while representing a familiar option at the position. Baltimore kept Jackson and Johnson on the active roster during cutdowns, waiving sixth-round rookie Devin Leary after he had an underwhelming preseason. Leary went unclaimed, though, and he signed to the practice squad on Wednesday.
Leary is viewed as a developmental option, and Huntley’s presence will give the Ravens another known commodity under center while he progresses. Baltimore is among the teams currently slated to be over the 2024 salary cap, but this move will no doubt be a one-year investment at a low cost. It will be interesting to see if Huntley winds up seeing any game time upon returning to his first NFL team.