Getty Brett Hundley #7 of the Green Bay Packers calls a play during the second half against the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field on December 23, 2017 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Vikings won the game 16-0.
A former Green Bay Packers quarterback got the ax unexpectedly on August 16 from a prominent AFC contender.
The Baltimore Ravens parted ways with Brett Hundley on August 16 in a move that independent NFL reporter Dov Kleiman described via Twitter as a surprise.
“Another unexpected cut: #Ravens are releasing backup QB Brett Hundley, per PFN,” Kleiman wrote.
The Packers selected Hundley in the fifth-round of the 2015 draft after a three-year collegiate career at UCLA. Hundley appeared in just four games and attempted just 10 passes for Green Bay in 2016 but became a prominent member of the team’s offense the following year.
Aaron Rodgers suffered a broken collarbone against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 6 of that season, opening the way for Hundley to fill in. Hundley started nine games in Rodgers’ stead, leading the Packers to a record of 3-6. He threw for 1,836 yards, connecting on nine touchdowns as opposed to 12 interceptions, per Pro Football Reference. Hundley also rushed the ball 36 times for a total of 270 yards and two touchdowns.
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Hundley Was Poised to Compete for Roster Spot With Ravens
GettyQuarterback Brett Hundley, formerly of the Green Bay Packers started nine games for the Packers in 2017.
Baltimore’s decision to cut Hundley was surprising, in part, because of the uncertainty the Ravens face under center.
Starter and former NFL MVP Lamar Jackson is playing on the fifth and final year of his rookie contract in 2022 and looking for an extension. Representing himself, Jackson gave the franchise a deadline of Week 1 to offer him an agreement he deems suitable, otherwise he will play the season without an extension.
“We’re coming up to it,” Jackson said of his deadline following a team practice on Saturday, August 13, per CBS Sports. “The season is coming up. We’re going to be good for the season.”
The danger for Baltimore is that Jackson could hit unrestricted free agency next spring and either leave for a better offer elsewhere or drive his price up even higher than it is now.
Furthermore, Jackson was injured last season, which likely cost the Ravens their chance at the playoffs. Backup quarterback Tyler Huntley stepped in for Jackson for several games at the end of the season, though not to much success.
Huntley often appeared competent, and Baltimore was frequently competitive with him under center, but he could not engineer the Ravens’ offense to victories when they needed them most. The team dropped the final six games of the year, and Huntley finished the season with a 1-3 record as a starter.
Hundley Bounced Around After Starting Stint in Green Bay
GettyQuarterback Brett Hundley spent the 2018 season with the Seattle Seahawks but did not play.
Hundley was expected to compete with Huntley and rookie Anthony Brown for a spot on the Ravens’ roster, but instead he was cut after signing with the team at the end of May.
He played in one series during Baltimore’s opening preseason game against the Tennessee Titans on Thursday, August 11, passing for 42 yards and rushing for three yards on two carries.
Hundley’s release four days after the matchup is the latest in a string of disappointments for the former Packers’ quarterback. Hundley backed up Russell Wilson with the Seattle Seahawks in 2018 and caught on with the Arizona Cardinals a year later, appearing in three regular season games for that franchise.
Despite interest in him from the Vikings earlier this year and his time with the Ravens, Hundley has not taken a snap since 2019.