Things are bleak at the quarterback position in Buffalo behind Josh Allen. First, Shane Buchele was lost for the season to injury, then Mitch Trubisky was hurt against the Steelers on Saturday. His knee injury is expected to sideline him for a few weeks. In order to address the temporary absence of Trubisky, the Buffalo Bills have signed former Ravens quarterback Anthony Brown.
Who Is Anthony Brown?
Brown is a versatile athletic QB who can make plays with his legs. His arm was touted as 'average' going into the draft, and his accuracy issues were well documented. All-in-all, it was unsurprising to see that Brown went undrafted in 2022.
Ultimately, he had something to offer, and worked his way onto the Baltimore Ravens' practice squad. The offense was led by Greg Roman at the time, who's concerted effort to find QBs who could emulate Lamar Jackson was obvious. He started one game after the loss of QB2 Tyler Huntley, who wo a Pro Bowl nomination that season despite only playing in six games and starting four. Brown's lone start was in Week 18 of 2022 against the Cincinnati Bengals, where he coughed the ball up three times. Despite throwing for nearly 300 yards, Baltimore lost 16-27.
Brown was unsigned for the 2023 season, but spent 2024 with the Las Vegas Raiders. Three days ago, on August 16th, they waived him.
Why Anthony Brown?
The signing marks another step in the Bills' never-ending search for an effective QB2. Though it's a move of desperation and necessity in the absence of the expected and wanted passers, the signing of a player with Anthony Brown's skillset instead of a more season veteran backup shows a deliberate choice. Their focus on finding a mobile QB who can run a comparable style of offense to the starters is made evident. Brown won't be that player, and we won't frame it as such, but it's not a meaningless signing.
Regardless, expect Brown to be cut from the roster in just over a week, when the squad takes shape. His presence on the team is that of a body to play in the team's final preseason game, and perhaps earn a role on Buffalo's practice squad. He doesn't have much time to do so, but neither does his competition in Ben DiNucci. Perhaps this will be another season where Anthony Brown learns to sit behind a talented mobile QB?