The Vikings’ Under-the-Radar QB2 Candidate

The Minnesota Vikings have only two quarterbacks under contract for the upcoming season, which is one or two short of the usual offseason number. J.J. McCarthy is expected to enter the starting lineup, and Brett Rypien, last year’s QB3, is the only other arm on the team.

The Vikings’ Under-the-Radar QB2 Candidate

The rumor mill has gone crazy for about a month. The most prominent guys in the free-agency pool are long-time starter Ryan Tannehill and former second-overall pick and MVP candidate Carson Wentz from almost a decade ago.

Then there’s ex-Viking, Teddy Bridgewater, and some low-end QB2s or QB3-types like C.J. Beathard and Easton Stick. The trade market could include Will Levis and Sam Howell.

But there’s a former Pro Bowler who is rarely named. Well, Pro Bowler on paper because nobody really knows how Tyler Huntley landed on the Pro Bowl roster in 2022, but he should be on everyone’s QB2 radar.

Huntley was an undrafted rookie in 2020. Coming out of the University of Utah, he signed with the Ravens. He failed to make Baltimore’s roster but showed enough promise to be kept around on the practice squad. Later in the season, he appeared in a couple of games, throwing a total of five passes.

In year two, he did make the 53-man roster and logged four starts throughout the season, resulting in over 1,000 passing yards, three touchdowns, four picks, and almost 300 rushing yards and two more scores.

Lamar Jackson once again got hurt in Huntley’s third campaign, and he started another four games in the regular season and a postseason matchup. Ultimately, he somehow landed on the Pro Bowl roster as Josh Allen’s injury replacement with season stats of 658 passing yards and two touchdowns.

In 2023, Jackson remained healthy, and Huntley logged one start, scoring three touchdowns and no interceptions. The following offseason was a little strange. He signed with the Browns but was released after the preseason. The Ravens signed him to their practice squad, and then the Dolphins snatched him a couple of weeks into the season.

Huntley started five games due to Tua’s lengthy absence following his concussion, and he was clearly better than fellow backups Skylar Thompson and Tim Boyle, despite some fumble issues.

Throughout his career, Huntley has started 14 games, and his 475 pass attempts have resulted in 11 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, and 2,786 yards. In addition to that, he is a mobile signal-caller, adding another 644 yards and five touchdowns on the ground.

Huntley isn’t the best passer, but his added value on the ground could make him an intriguing player for the Vikings. Kevin O’Connell’s offense is built around the passing game, though it should be noted that Joshua Dobbs had some success under the reigning Coach of the Year, and Huntley has shown that he can be more consistent than his colleague from the pocket.

Last week, Huntley had a workout with the Cardinals, but he hasn’t signed a deal.

Huntley turned 27 earlier this offseason. The Vikings will likely make a move shortly after the draft to avoid losing one of their potential compensatory picks.