The Cleveland Browns have made a significant alteration to the roster, cutting ties with former Pro Bowl quarterback Tyler Huntley.
Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN reported the news on Thursday morning, August 29.
“The Browns are releasing QB Tyler Huntley, a source said,” Oyefusi posted to X. “Cleveland kept 4 QBs on its initial roster. Now it’s Deshaun Watson, Jameis Winston and Dorian Thompson-Robinson.”
Huntley and Thompson-Robinson were engaged in a high-level competition for the team’s third-string spot over the last several weeks, as both played exceptionally well during the preseason.
Most recently, Thompson-Robinson completed 11-of-20 passes for 115 yards and a TD against the Seattle Seahawks in the first half of the Browns’ final preseason game on August 24. Huntley upped him in the second half, tossing 3 TD passes and gaining 146 yards through the air on 17-of-22 passing.
But Huntley — a former Pro Bowler with the Baltimore Ravens in 2022 — didn’t do enough to unseat Thompson-Robinson, who the Browns picked in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL draft and who had a second consecutive breakout preseason this summer.
Browns Were Likely Unable to Find Trade Partner for Tyler Huntley Before Cut
Cleveland may have initially kept Huntley as the fourth QB in an attempt to trade him for a Day 3 pick.
The Browns executed a deal with the Arizona Cardinals last August, sending QB Josh Dobbs to the NFC in exchange for a fifth-round selection. The Green Bay Packers also just traded a seventh-round pick to the Tennessee Titans for quarterback Malik Willis, who is far less accomplished than Huntley in the NFL.
However, despite several potential trade suitors around the league, Cleveland was clearly unable to find a taker for Huntley and decided to cut him loose. The option to bring him back to the practice squad will exist if Huntley doesn’t sign elsewhere, though the quality preseason that the 26-year-old put together will likely earn him a chance to compete for a second- or third-string job elsewhere.
For his career, Huntley has appeared in 20 games and earned nine starts (3-6 record). He has tallied 1,957 passing yards, 8 TDs and 7 INTs as well as 509 rushing yards and 3 scores on the ground, per Pro Football Reference.
Dorian Thompson-Robinson Struggled During Rookie Season
Thompson-Robinson’s status as a recent draft pick of the organization as well as his overall preseason performance allowed him to keep his job in Cleveland. However, that won’t necessarily translate to regular-season success.
During his rookie campaign, Thompson-Robinson started three games, earning a 1-2 record. He completed just 53.6% of his passes for 440 yards, 1 TD and 4 INTs.
A hip injury landed Thompson-Robinson on the injured reserve list (IR) and cut his 2023 season short. He may or may not get a chance to redeem himself in the upcoming year playing behind Watson and Winston.
Watson appears to be entering a make-or-break campaign after two years defined by missed games and relatively poor play. Winston is a former No. 1 overall pick, though he spent the past four seasons as a backup QB with the New Orleans Saints.
