The biggest storyline surrounding the LA Chargers during the team's preseason game was the disappointing backup quarterback play. Easton Stick proved he simply was not up for the task and if Justin Herbert ever had to miss time, the Chargers would have been in trouble.
The Bolts addressed this issue on Wednesday with a trade, sending a conditional sixth-round pick to the Atlanta Falcons for Taylor Heinicke. Heinicke was on Chargers fans' radar after a strong preseason showing and it makes all the sense in the world for the Bolts to commit resources to building out the QB room.
Even with the strong preseason showing, Heinicke was not who Chargers fans expected the team to acquire. While there are no complaints about getting Heinicke, the expectation was that the Chargers would trade for former Baltimore Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley. Huntley was one of four quarterbacks on the Cleveland Browns and had ties to Chargers' GM Joe Hortiz.
The Chargers may not have traded for Huntley but they can still bring him into the building. After exploring potential trades for Huntley, the Browns opted to release the veteran quarterback on Thursday morning.
Chargers still have a chance to add Tyler Huntley to QB room
If the Chargers are really serious about bolstering the quarterback room then they would at least give Huntley's agent a call and try to get him to LA. After all, Huntley has experience with both Hortiz and offensive coordinator Greg Roman, so there is a sense of familiarity there.
Huntley likely would not take up a roster spot but he could be signed to the practice squad. There is not a quarterback signed to the Chargers practice squad right now and the expectation is that Easton Stick will end up being the one to take that mantle.
It goes without saying, though, that Huntley is a better quarterback than Stick. If the Chargers are trying to maximize the position, and not keep someone around solely because they are well-liked, then Huntley would be the choice over Stick.
Of course, the ball is ultimately in Huntley's court and he could turn down an offer to join the Chargers' practice squad. There are other teams in the league that could use better backup quarterback play and that could earn Huntley a 53-man roster spot.
But if none of those doors open, a reunion with his former Ravens' buddies in Los Angeles would not be a bad thing. He would essentially be competing with Heinicke for the backup quarterback spot and if another team gets desperate, they could always pluck him off the Chargers' practice squad.
It is unclear why the Chargers didn't trade for Huntley. Perhaps the Browns were asking for more than the Falcons and the Chargers opted to go with the cheaper option. Either way, now that he is available for free, it is worth bringing him in.