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Former Utah QB Tyler Huntley Could Emerge As Baltimore's Top Backup

After a rough rookie season in which the COVID-19 pandemic robbed Tyler Huntley of valuable preseason and training camp repetitions, the former Utah quarterback has emerged this offseason as the potential backup to 2019 MVP Lamar Jackson

Ryan Kostecka

Late January was a very important time period for the Baltimore Ravens — and former Utah quarterback Tyler Huntley.

Less than 72 hours after being eliminated from the playoffs and the Ravens were already making roster moves.

In a somewhat shocking decision, they elected to move on from star running back Mark Ingram and released a true locker room leader in backup quarterback Robert Griffin. Griffin finished the season on injured reserve with a hamstring injury and was NOT under contract for this upcoming season.

With Griffin no longer in Baltimore's future plans, the Ravens brass made sure that another quarterback was. Baltimore announced on January 20 that they had signed 11 players to reserve/future contracts, including Huntley. 

Fast forward to the present and Baltimore's investment into Huntley is certaintly paying off.

According to columnist Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun, the battle between Huntley and Trace McSorley to be the backup to Lamar Jackson isn't much of a competition anymore. 

Throughout Organized Team Activities and three days of mandatory mini-camp practices, Huntley has taken the reigns of the backup quarterback position and ran away with them. Entering training camp with the season just under two months away, the job to backup the 2019 MVP is Huntley's to lose at this point

"Huntley’s body language was different compared to a year ago. He had a swag. There were times when he threw some passes in tiny holes with such velocity that even reporters bristled. When he threw sidelines passes, they were high and tight where only his receivers could make the catch,” Preston wrote. “Truth be told, his arm strength and touch on the long ball were better than Jackson’s. And there were times when Huntley got outside the pocket and started that mad sprint down the sideline where it was hard to recognize if it was Huntley or Jackson because both wore their jersey’s inside out.”

Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports

After facing a terrible set of circumstances last year, Huntley's maturation and growth from last season to this one has been well documented.

The COVID-19 pandemic completely robbed Huntley of a true offseason, minicamp and training camp. So he entered the year as the No. 4 guy on the depth chart thanks in large part because nobody knew exactly what he was capable of doing. 

But ever the competitor — something Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham raved about — Huntley thrived when given a chance to prove himself in an NFL game.

Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports

In the AFC Divisional Round playoff game against the Buffalo Bills, Huntley found himself on the field late in the third quarter with Baltimore trailing 17-3. Normally that would be a lot of pressure for anybody but for Huntley, the former all-Pac-12 quarterback from Utah, it was just another game.

He finished the game 6-for-13 for just 60 yards while adding three carries for 32 yards, but ultimately his comeback attempt fell just short as the Ravens were eliminated following their 17-3 loss to the Bills.

"I was just trying to get warmed up as quickly as I could," Huntley said postgame. "I just tried to help this team and do what I could to get closer and give us a chance. We were just trying to get points on the board, just fighting until the very end. It's an NFL game, so it can go down to the wire, and you have to fight until the end. We've just got to find a way to get that ball in the end zone."

Following the concussion to Jackson that knocked him out of the game, Huntley came in on third down and nearly picked up the first down with his legs, forcing a Baltimore punt.

The next drive is when Huntley began to look more comfortable, completing two passes on fourth down that moved the chains. But the play he'll regret most is when he overthrew Hollywood Brown on what would've been a for-sure touchdown.

Huntley did recover on the next series when he hit Brown on third-and-16 to move the chains. He led the Ravens into Buffalo's redzone but two drops by Baltimore ended the drive and ultimately, the season.

"Obviously, you want your best players out there when the game is on the line, but we had confidence in 'Snoop,'" defensive end Calais Campbell said. "I see him in practice, and I see he has potential to be a great player and to see an opportunity, he seized it. He went out there and made some plays and gave us an opportunity. It's inches. ... It's a game of inches, and we just didn't get it done. But we fought hard."

The reason the backup quarterback spot is a big reason for concern is due to Jackson's prowess with his legs. A deft runner and legitimate threat outside of the pocket, injury is always a concern. Baltimore doesn't want to take Jackson's legs away from him because that's what makes him one of the game's best — but fear of injury is a real concern

Huntley is the ideal backup quarterback for Jackson as they possess a lot of similar traits. Both mobile quarterbacks who do their best work outside of the pocket when on the move, the benefit of having Huntley as backup is that the playbook would not have to change. 

Only time will tell if Huntley will emerge as the No. 2 guy in Baltimore — a huge accomplishment for the undrafted second-year player. But if there's anything Utah fans know about Huntley, he thrives when under pressure so it appears that Baltimore's backup plans are in good shape.

Be sure to like us on social media for future coverage: Twitter — @UtahUtes_SI and Ryan Kostecka at @Ryan_Kostecka

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Ryan Kostecka
RYAN KOSTECKA

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