The Browns do not have a history of successful quarterbacks since their re-formation in 1999. Cleveland has famously ran through 38 different signal callers since its return to the NFL, and hopes are that its newest attempt at a franchise quarterback - Deshaun Watson - is the answer.
But with Watson's injury history - the former Houston Texan missed 22 games over the past two seasons in Cleveland due to injuries and suspensions - the team will want to acquire a bonafide backup as a safety net.
After considering all the pending free agents this offseason, USA Today thinks the Ravens' current backup quarterback Tyler Huntley is a good option for Cleveland behind Watson.
“The Browns clearly need to invest in a backup quarterback,” USA Today wrote. “Huntley has starting experience and would be a clear upgrade over PJ Walker and Dorian Thompson-Robinson.”
Walker played well as the Browns won two of the three games he started this past season, but hardly seems like a long-term answer. Thompson-Robinson also took advantage of playing time when it was given, but injuries derailed his 2023 season. He seems like the most likely to compete for a backup job in Cleveland next year.
Huntley would be an upgrade over both. Has more experience and has been more successful than either one. In 2022, after starting four games for an injured Lamar Jackson in Baltimore, Huntley earned Pro Bowl honors as a replacement for Bills quarterback Josh Allen who couldn't play due to an injury.
Huntley went 2-2 that season in relief, completing 67 percent of his passes for 658 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions. The University of Utah product also carried the ball 43 times for 137 yards and another score.
Another former Ravens quarterback carried the load in Cleveland at the end of the season after a Watson injury. Joe Flacco famously led the Browns on a playoff run. But Flacco is 39 and although he's stated he would like to return to Cleveland, he also says he wants to start. And that's not likely to happen with the Browns while Watson is on the roster.
If Huntley leaves Baltimore in free agency, the Ravens will be hard-pressed to find an equally reliable backup that plays at the level Huntley does.
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