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The Dallas Cowboys are facing a major predicament at the quarterback position after Dak Prescott fractured his thumb in the Week 1 opener.
The seventh-year QB is expected to be out for 6-8 weeks after surgery on September 12, which means Dallas has Cooper Rush and Will Grier as their quarterback options until he’s healthy again.
However, the team could go add a new passer in free agency or through a trade. ESPN analyst and former NFL QB Dan Orlovsky thinks that the Cowboys should look to Baltimore Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley.
“Trade for Tyler Huntley,” Orlovsky said on ESPN program Get Up. “If I was the Dallas Cowboys, that would be the phone call I would make. It would not be to San Francisco for Jimmy Garoppolo, I would call Baltimore and trade for Tyler Huntley.”
Huntley is in his third season in the NFL after going undrafted out of Utah in the 2020 NFL draft. In his limited chances behind former NFL MVP Lamar Jackson, Huntley has shown moments of starter quality, and Orlovsky believes the QB could help the team add a new dimension while Prescott recovers.
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Huntley Gets First Starts with Ravens
Huntley earned a first-team All-Pac-12 honor in 2019 by displaying his incredible athleticism at Utah, going for 3092 passing yards and 19 touchdowns in the process. However, no NFL teams felt he was worth a draft pick and that took him to Baltimore.
His athletic profile makes for a great backup to Jackson, and Huntley earned a roster spot in 2020 as a rookie due to his fit. A year later, he would be thrust into the spotlight.
When Jackson was injured during the 2021 season, Huntley earned his first NFL starts. As Pro Football Reference shows, they didn’t exactly light the world on fire as the Ravens went 1-3 over that span.
Huntley completed 64.9% of his passes and totaled 1081 passing yards in 2021, throwing three touchdowns and four interceptions in the process. In terms of his rushing contributions, Huntley took 47 touches for 294 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
Huntley would provide a different element than Prescott at QB, and it would be interesting to see how Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore would utilize the current Ravens quarterback.
Orlovsky Believes It’s ‘Do or Die’ for Cowboys
Orlovsky has been around the block as a 12-year NFL veteran, playing quarterback for several different NFL teams before taking his talents to ESPN as an analyst.
In terms of QBs that can work with the Cowboys’ strengths and against their weaknesses, Orlovsky makes the case for Huntley thanks to his speed and agility, which could extend plays despite the offensive line having early struggles.
“If they don’t make a move, their season is over. But their upcoming schedule is not awful, this is not a division that is absolutely loaded nor a conference that is incredibly high-end. Tyler Huntley is a player who has proven to be a pretty good talent… The [Cowboys’] offensive line could not protect, he’s mobile enough to cover that up… If they [trade for Huntley,] they have a chance to save the season.”
For what its worth, the Buccaneers hit Dallas’ QBs eight times in the Week 1 opener, with Tampa registering four total sacks in the process.
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