The Baltimore Ravens played their first preseason game in two years on Saturday as they packed M&T Bank Stadium for a matchup with the New Orleans Saints.
And just as they had in their previous 17 preseason outings, the Ravens emerged as the 17-14 victors, thanks in part to a few standout performances.
While the defense will get the majority of the credit — as is always going to be the case when a team forces six turnovers — one player who helped boost his stock was quarterback Tyler Huntley.
Huntley is competing with Trace McSorley for the backup quarterback job, and on Saturday, both players had a chance to stake their claim with Lamar Jackson sitting out.
When the dust settled, it was Huntley who established himself as the clear favorite.
Tyler Huntley’s performance gives him the edge in the Ravens QB2 battle.
McSorley got the start and played the first half of football to mixed results. While his final stat line doesn’t look awful, the Ravens struggled to move the ball consistently with McSorley under center.
The former Penn State QB finished 11-of-18 for 86 yards and an interception while adding an additional 25 yards on the ground. Modest numbers, but it was clear that the offense needed a boost.
That boost came when Huntley entered the game in the second half. With a new QB leading the way, Baltimore came from behind to score the win behind a 12-of-16, 79-yard performance from Huntley.
He added another 43 yards and a touchdown on the ground finishing as the team’s leading rusher. Huntley benefitted from improved offensive line play, but that shouldn’t take away from how well he played.
It’s still early, but if the Ravens had to make their decision today, it seems likely that Huntley would get the nod as Jackson’s primary backup.
Huntley is far from a perfect backup. He’s dynamic and exciting both in the air and on the ground, but his mistakes are equally as noteworthy — a fourth-quarter fumble being the best evidence of that.
The Ravens feel good about their backup quarterback situation, despite outside pressure to upgrade in the offseason.
Tyler Huntley’s development is a large reason for that. And he seems to have the edge on McSorley when it comes to the backup QB job.