Getty Anthony Brown prepares to take a snap for the Buffalo Bills.
Anthony Brown’s time with the Buffalo Bills has come to a swift conclusion.
The Bills picked up the veteran quarterback on August 20, one week after he had been waived by the Las Vegas Raiders. The team needed help at quarterback after injuries to Mitch Trubisky and Shane Buechele, giving Brown less than a week to prepare for the team’s 31-26 loss to the Carolina Panthers in the preseason finale on August 24.
Despite a decent performance against the Panthers, the Bills announced on August 25 that they released Brown in an initial round of cuts ahead of Tuesday’s final roster deadline.
Bills Have Decisions to Make at Quarterback
Brown came into the NFL with the Baltimore Ravens in 2022, appearing in two games that season with one start and completing 22-of-49 passes for 302 yards. He spent the next season on the practice squad.
Brown played the second half of Saturday’s loss to the Panthers, completing 11-of-12 passes for 105 yards and adding one rush for 13 yards. But The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia noted that the performance was not enough to stick around on the practice squad.
“The preseason finale didn’t help [Ben] DiNucci or Brown’s chances to stick, which makes it most likely that the team’s third quarterback for the season isn’t currently on the roster,” Buscaglia wrote. “With a big wave of cuts next week, someone of value who could fill in for an injured Trubisky as the primary backup should be available.”
DiNucci also had an efficient performance in the preseason finale, completing 11-of-15 passes for 76 yards with one touchdown.
Bills Hope to Have Mitch Trubisky Back for Season Opener
Trubisky went down with an injury in the team’s 9-3 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on August 17. Bills head coach Sean McDermott initially described the injury as “week-to-week,” but Nick Wojton of USA Today’s Bills Wire noted that he could still have some work before he’s able to return.
#Bills backup QB Mitch Trubisky (knee) spotted with a brace on his left leg today at practice.
HC Sean McDermott said Monday that Trubisky will be out multiple weeks after suffering the injury Saturday in the preseason game in Pittsburgh.
“Trubisky, who re-signed in Buffalo to backup Josh Allen again earlier this offseason, has a pretty sizeable brace on his knee,” Wojton reported. “Trubisky was seen by cameras while he was watching the practice.”
Trubisky struggled even before the injury, leading to speculation that the team could look for an upgrade as backup behind Josh Allen. WGR 550 reporter Joe DiBiase suggested the Bills could look into former Pro Bowl quarterback Ryan Tannehill.
“If no starting job becomes available to him via injury, Ryan Tannehill would be a significant upgrade for the Bills at backup QB,” DiBiase shared on X. “This is a 3 win football team if Trubisky had to play.”
There could be competition if the Bills intend to sign Tannehill. Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay called the veteran quarterback a “training camp winner” as shaky performances from backup quarterbacks led to an increase in interest in him.
“Due to these disappointing preseason showings, teams may be more willing to shell out some cash to land a steady hand like Tannehill,” Kay wrote. “His presence could bolster a quarterback room before training camp concludes and help a squad feel more comfortable about its chances to remain afloat if a starting passer goes down.”
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Bills Part Ways With Veteran QB Days After Signing Him