The Bengals are adding more quarterback insurance with Joe Burrow uncertain to play on Monday night. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that the Bengals are signing veteran QB A.J. McCarron to their practice squad. Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer reported earlier today that McCarron was working out for the Bengals.
This is a homecoming for McCarron, who was drafted by the Bengals in the fifth round of the 2014 draft. The quarterback ended up spending three seasons in Cincy before bouncing around the NFL in recent years. McCarron’s longest recent gig came with the Texans, where he spent a pair of seasons. The Alabama product has also had stints with the Bills, Raiders, and Falcons. In total, McCarron has seen time in 17 career games (four starts), throwing for 1,173 passing yards, six touchdowns, and three interceptions. He’s also started one playoff game, going winless in 2015.
Most recently, McCarron spent time with the St. Louis BattleHawks of the XFL, leading the league in passing touchdowns, passer rating, and completion percentage. Following his standout campaign, the 33-year-old indicated that he’d be open to another NFL opportunity.
He’ll find that in Cincinnati, where Burrow will be listed as questionable on Monday night while dealing with a calf injury (per ESPN’s Adam Schefter). Will Grier was snagged by the Patriots off the Bengals’ practice squad earlier this week, leaving the team with Jake Browning as the lone QB behind Burrow. The Bengals added Reid Sinnett to the grouping yesterday, and with McCarron on board, the organization can now choose from one of three QBs as a backup plan to Burrow.
Based
Now there’s a blast from the past
He’ll B on roster by end of week. With Burrows hurt n backup QB crapping pants. AJ enters mid gm spurring miracle comeback n wrestles starting job frm NFLs highest played player. If u think u can do it … U Can ! AJs Mom
The dramatic thriller your describing actually seems more realistic than the Dolphins “Pet Detective” movie so I better stock up on the popcorn.
McCarron was a good backup (who came very close to beating the Steelers if not for a pair of foul calls and a bad fumble by the otherwise decent Jeremy Hill) in Cincinnati in the mid 2010s who could have arguably made a case to start somewhere. However, that was a good while ago. We’ll see how much of McCarron’s XFL success translates to the NFL in his return, if he gets the chance to play. McCarron was decent, but was not regarded as a superior athlete. At 33 and out of the NFL for some time, McCarron will have to show that he can still be a reliable option backing up for the Bengals.
I wonder what would have happened if the Bengals had kept Ryan Fitzpatrick when they had him in 2007- 2008? Nobody could have known he’d spend 13 more years in the league.
True, and it’s fair to ask, but his bouncing around and learning and adapting probably made him better. Fitzpatrick was a much better player in the second half of his career than the first. Usually, I don’t think that that’s the case, but for Fitz, it seemed to work. At the very least, it made him more resilient.