The Miami Dolphins lost Thursday to the Bills yet the bigger story, obviously, was the scary-to-watch concussion suffered by Tua Tagovailoa late in the game on a fourth down when the quarterback collided with Damar Hamlin. Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said immediately after the game we’d see Miami add a quarterback to the depth chart, and the Dolphins did so on Monday, by adding Tyler “Snoop” Huntley off the Ravens practice squad.
McDaniel said despite bringing in another quarterback, made it clear Skylar Thompson will be the starter for Week 3 at Seattle, and that it’s beneficial for the team to add someone with starting experience.
Huntley famously made the Pro Bowl after the 2022 season despite playing in just six games for the Ravens as an injury fill-in for Lamar Jackson. Only four of those were starts, with Huntley playing some middling football for Baltimore, although he did manage to keep their playoff hopes afloat and actually help the Ravens sneak into the postseason.
The Pro Bowl nod came as a result of a slew of starters and alternates dropping out and Huntley eventually finding himself in a weird game of NFL All-Star musical chairs. Huntley was the seventh option for the Pro Bowl, but because of postseason success for some (Patrick Mahomes) and injuries for others (Josh Allen, Justin Herbert) he ended up getting the nod.
I’m not sure if this qualifies as irony, but it’s a weird fact: Lamar and Tua also had to drop out of the Pro Bowl with injuries, helping Huntley secure his bid.
Huntley started a total of nine games for Baltimore from 2021 through 2023 before landing with the Browns this offseason. Cleveland had a slew of quarterbacks on the roster and ended up cutting Huntley just a week before the season, while holding onto Deshaun Watson, Jameis Winston and Dorian Thompson-Robinson.
The Ravens pounced on Huntley shortly before the 2024 season began and inked him to their practice squad, where he’s been over the first two weeks of the year.
From a schematic perspective, Huntley is an interesting add because he joins Skylar Thompson as the only two healthy quarterbacks on the depth chart. While Thompson is capable of moving around, Huntley is the much more mobile quarterback.
Neither guy is likely to light the world on fire for the Dolphins, but we have no clue how long Tua will be out and their similar styles could allow McDaniel to more seamlessly build a playbook for either guy, depending on who has the hot (lukewarm?) hand.
We shouldn’t totally write off Miami just yet, though. Remember, in 2022 when Tua suffered his first two concussions — causing the NFL to change its protocol and ending his season — the Dolphins still made the playoffs and nearly upended the Bills with Thompson at quarterback.
The timeline for Tua is completely up in the air. We have heard he’s not going to retire. But we have no idea how much time he’ll miss until he meets with neurologists and can start to take the next steps. His long-term health is paramount here, of course, which means there’s no rushing him back onto the field in order to try and win football games.
Which is exactly why the Dolphins, already battling preseason injuries on the defensive side of the ball, went out and got Huntley.
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Author: Will Brinson
September 16, 2024 | 3:00 pm
