Pundits Encourage Cowboys to Call Ravens About Tyler Huntley's Availability
With Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott not expected to return until Week 8 or 10 after undergoing successful surgery to stabilize his fractured thumb yesterday, speculation has begun as to who will be his replacement.
ESPN's Dan Orlovsky said the best choice is Ravens backup quarterback Tyler Huntley.
"Their season's over. And the only way it's not over is I would call Baltimore and see if they would trade me Tyler Huntley," Orlovsky said on the "Keyshawn, JWill & Max" show on ESPN Radio. "That's the one player that I believe at that spot you have the chance to get and also could potentially save that six- or eight-game stretch."
Max Kellerman agreed with Orlovsky, saying: "I like Huntley. Huntley does a fair Lamar Jackson impersonation when he's in there."
CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora also encouraged the Cowboys to inquire about Huntley's availability.
"[Huntley] has an NFL starting future," La Canfora tweeted. "Another great training camp. Has regular season experience in a playoff race from a year ago."
Maybe General Manager Eric DeCosta would at least listen if Dallas or any other team were to call him about Huntley, but the Ravens have made it clear that they value their No. 2 quarterback, whom they signed as an undrafted free agent in 2020.
Huntley played well last season in four starts when Jackson was sidelined. Because Huntley has a similar skill set as Jackson, he's the ideal player to serve as Jackson's backup.
That said, Head Coach John Harbaugh said a few weeks ago that he has no doubt that Huntley could be a starter in the NFL.
"I definitely believe that. There's no question in my mind about that," Harbaugh said. "I'm glad we have him. We're very, very blessed to have him as one of our players, one of our quarterbacks and our backup quarterback."
The Ravens don't have a third quarterback on their active roster. Anthony Brown, who signed with Baltimore as an undrafted free agent this year and played well in the preseason, is on the practice squad.
On a side note, NFL.com’s Eric Edholm listed eight possible replacements for Prescott, and while Huntley wasn't one of them, former Raven Josh Johnson was as well. Johnson, who has suited up for a record 14 different teams and is currently on the Denver Broncos' practice squad, started one game for the Ravens last season.
Does Saquon Barkley's Post-ACL Surgery Performance Suggest What to Expect From J.K. Dobbins?
The Athletic's Jeff Zrebiec took note of Sunday's impressive performance by New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley and said it "should serve as a good reminder to Ravens fans when it comes to expectations for returning running back J.K. Dobbins."
"Inactive in Week 1, Dobbins' 2022 debut will likely happen soon, perhaps as early as Sunday against the Miami Dolphins. But there's no guarantee that Dobbins will recapture his pre-injury form this year, nor is there any reason to rush him back," Zrebiec wrote. "Barkley tore his ACL in Week 2 of the 2020 season and worked hard to get back in time to play in 2021. However, it was a struggle and Barkley clearly wasn't himself. He acknowledged as much. Two years after the injury, he seems to have his explosiveness back."
In 13 games last season, Barkley ran for 593 yards and averaged 3.7 yards per carry. In the two seasons prior to suffering the knee injury, he ran for 2,310 yards and 17 touchdowns, averaging 4.8 yards per carry. He also caught 143 passes for 1,159 yards and six touchdowns.
"Don't misunderstand: I'm not suggesting that Dobbins will have the same issue when he returns. I am suggesting that expectations should be kept in check. And if the Ravens decide to hold him out a few more weeks, so be it," Zrebiec wrote.
Lamar Jackson Lands in NFL.com Writer's MVP Watch
Jackson's performance in leading the Ravens to a 24-9 win over the New York Jets on Sunday has landed him on NFL.com’s Jeffri Chadiha’s MVP Watch after Week 1.
Jackson was No. 5 in Chadiha's rankings of the top five MVP candidates, which he updates weekly. Jackson was behind Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, and Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson.
Perhaps what was most impressive about Jackson's MVP-worthy effort against the Jets is that he beat them with his arm, not his legs. He threw three touchdown passes — all of which traveled 20-plus yards downfield — while finishing with just 17 yards rushing on six carries.
"His arm was certainly the highlight, especially his connection with Devin Duvernay," Russell Street Report’s Nikhil Mehta wrote. "The 2020 third-rounder was wide open on his second touchdown, but Jackson really threaded the needle on the duo's first link-up."
Justin Tucker Trends on Twitter
The Ravens didn't play last night, but Justin Tucker was trending on Twitter this morning.
After Broncos Head Coach Nathaniel Hackett made the controversial decision to have kicker Brandon McManus attempt a 64-yard field goal trailing by one point with 20 seconds left rather than allowing Russell Wilson and the offense go for it on fourth-and-5, it was pointed out by many on Twitter that the decision would only make sense if Tucker was Denver's kicker.
