The Baltimore Ravens have one of the most talented quarterback rooms in the NFL. It’s headed by a two-time MVP in Lamar Jackson, and Tyler Huntley has proven to be a very capable backup across his six-year career. Somehow, though, it’s been one of the more polarizing duos.
Jackson, despite being a very successful player on a collision course with the Hall of Fame, seems to be disrespected year in and year out. It’s truly shocking, but he’s not alone. Now, it seems Huntley is the one getting some shade.
In a recent article for Sports Illustrated, Gilberto Manzano ranked all of the NFL’s 32 backup quarterbacks. Huntley ranked just 20th. Shockingly, he placed below some underperforming quarterbacks like Trey Lance and Anthony Richardson Sr., as well as largely unproven options like Tyson Bagent.
Huntley deserves to be fairly higher than 20th.
Baltimore Ravens QB doesn’t get the respect he earned in recent rankings
To credit Manzano, he certainly sees the vision that the Ravens have in employing Tyler Huntley to back up Lamar Jackson. Manzano wrote:
“Huntley, who notoriously made a Pro Bowl roster in 2022, is back in Baltimore for a seventh season and a third stint with the team. The Ravens keep bringing Huntley back because he’s a mobile quarterback with a similar skill set as Lamar Jackson, a plus for the coaching staff knowing that the playbook wouldn’t shrink much if Jackson were to miss games.”
Manzano’s reasoning is in no way disrespectful. However, where Huntley is placed is certainly a head-scratcher. Again, guys like Trey Lance, Anthony Richardson Sr., and Tyson Bagent shouldn’t be ranked in front of him. Even Shedeur Sanders at no. 12 is a little bit of a stretch.
When you look at what Huntley did last year, it’s clear that the 28-year-old deserves better. He was very consistent in five games in 2025, winning both of his two starts and saving the team's season, while keeping it close in his other notable appearances. He was re-signed this offseason for a reason.
When you look at the stats, Huntley was even better. He finished the year throwing for 426 yards and two touchdowns on a 77.6% completion percentage, which went along with a very strong 103.1 passer rating. The Utah product was dangerous on the ground, too, adding 151 yards on the ground on 24 carries.
Obviously, when it was Huntley's time, the Ravens heavily leaned on Derrick Henry. It was much more of a Derrick Henry show than a Tyler Huntley show. Still, Huntley managed games extremely well. He kept the ball out of harm’s way, as he didn’t throw a single interception. That’s exactly what you want from your backup quarterback.
In his piece, it certainly looks like Manzano values potential and a high ceiling over players like Huntley with a high floor. Regardless, 20th feels too low, and after the tremendous efforts that we saw from him last year, he likely should be sitting somewhere inside the top-15 instead.
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