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Jake Browning

Bengals Pursued Several QB Options Before Settling On Joe Flacco

October 8th, 2025 at 5:40pm CST by Ben Levine

The Bengals initially hoped that Jake Browning would be able to keep the ship afloat as the team awaited Joe Burrow‘s return from injury. However, after the fill-in tossed three interceptions for his third-straight loss, the front office decided to pivot, bringing in Joe Flacco to temporarily guide the offense.

[RELATED: Bengals Acquire Joe Flacco From Browns]

However, the Bengals did explore some other options before ultimately settling on the 40-year-old signal caller. According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, the front office called around to any team that had some extra QB depth. In fact, there was “some chatter” surrounding Cincy’s pursuit of Seahawks QB Drew Lock and Eagles QB Sam Howell. On the flip side, none of Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston, nor Kirk Cousins were “ever real possibilities” for the franchise.

Both Lock and Howell represent younger options than Flacco (it’d be hard not to). Lock has 28 games of starting experience, with close to half of those appearances coming with the Broncos in 2020. After going 1-4 in five starts with the Giants in 2024, Lock inked a two-year contract with the Seahawks this past offseason. That means the QB would have brought some extra team control to Cincinnati.

Howell is playing out the final season of his rookie contract, and a deal with Cincinnati would have marked his fourth trade since March of 2024. Howell was actually Lock’s predecessor as Seattle’s QB2, as he got limited reps while backing up Geno Smith in 2024. Before that, he started all 17 games for the Commanders in 2023, tossing 21 touchdowns vs. a league-leading 21 interceptions.

Any of Wilson, Winston, and Cousins would have brought their own intrigue to the Bengals. Wilson was recently benched for rookie Jaxson Dart in New York, and Winston has yet to see the field as a Giants backup in 2025. Cousins is somehow still kicking around Atlanta, although he did make a cameo in a blowout loss to the Panthers last month.

Flacco was ultimately the team’s choice as a stopgap quarterback. According to Graziano, the Bengals didn’t anticipate any acquisition to immediately be inserted into the starting lineup, but the team is apparently hopeful that Flacco will be able to start this weekend against the Packers. If he’s not ready to go, then the veteran would be set to make his Bengals debut the following Thursday night against the Steelers.

Bengals Open To QB Change?

October 6th, 2025 at 9:57pm CST by Adam La Rose

Ahead of yesterday’s game, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor expressed confidence in Jake Browning‘s ability to handle quarterback duties in place of Joe Burrow. After another poor outing, though, things could change soon.

Browning wound up throwing for 251 yards and three touchdowns during Sunday’s loss to the Lions. However, much of that production (and all three scores) came during the fourth quarter with Cincinnati trailing by a large margin. Browning’s early showing included three interceptions, and after the game Taylor seemed to leave the door open to a change under center.

“After a game like that, we’re going to look at all personnel to make sure we’re doing the right thing,” Taylor said (via ESPN’s Ben Baby). “I won’t shy away from that because it’s a very fair question after the amount of turnovers that we had.”

Browning has thrown eight interceptions on just 124 pass attempts since taking over from an injured Burrow. Ending Cincinnati’s three-game losing streak will require an improved showing in terms of avoiding turnovers, something which could be brought about by a switch at the quarterback spot. Brett Rypien is currently second on the depth chart, while in-season signings Mike White and Sean Clifford reside on the practice squad.

To date, the Bengals have yet to make inquiries about a trade aimed at shoring up the QB position. As long as Burrow remains on track to return at some point late in the year following toe surgery, Cincinnati could continue looking internally. That approach could still see Browning handling QB1 duties – Taylor added in his post-game press conference he remains confident in the 29-year-old – but it will be interesting to see what changes are made on offense over the next few days.

Regardless of what happens under center, improving on defense will be critical if the Bengals are to contend for a postseason berth. The team ranks 30th in points and yards allowed and sits at 2-3 on the year. Defense was a major issue last season and that has remained the case early in 2025. Taylor and his staff will have a number of important decisions to make before visiting the Packers in Week 6.

Bengals Have Not Made Trade Inquiries On QBs, Intend To Keep Jake Browning As Starter

October 5th, 2025 at 10:05am CST by Rory Parks

The Bengals did not seek a trade for a veteran QB following Joe Burrow’s toe injury – which will keep Burrow sidelined until sometime in December – and we recently heard there is leaguewide skepticism that the club will change its modus operandi in terms of in-season trade activity (Cincy has only acquired two players via in-season trade over the past 53 years). The latest reporting on the matter suggests that skepticism is well-founded.

Multiple sources tell Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports they would be surprised if there are any quarterback trades at all in advance of the November 4 deadline, given the complexity of the QB position and all that it entails. An assistant GM told Vacchiano the only team he believes would even consider such a move is the Bengals, considering Jake Browning’s pronounced struggles in relief of Burrow.

Although Browning was able to guide his team to a win in Week 2 (the game in which Burrow sustained his injury), he did throw three picks in that contest. In his two starts since, he has completed a combined 33 of 52 passes for 265 yards for one touchdown and two more interceptions. The Bengals lost both games by a combined score of 76-13, and they did not cross midfield during the final three quarters of their loss to the Broncos in Week 4.

Nonetheless, Vacchiano says there is still no indication Cincinnati has looked into a quarterback trade. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com hears the same, and he writes that the club’s past success with Browning at the helm – Browning posted a 4-3 record when filling in for Burrow in 2023 – has them prepared to move forward with the Washington product for the foreseeable future.

In a recent appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network (video link) says Falcons QB Kirk Cousins could probably adjust quickly to the Bengals’ offense due to his familiarity with head coach Zac Taylor’s type of scheme, but Cousins’ contract – which already includes a locked-in $10MM in 2026 – remains prohibitive. Recently-demoted Giants QB Russell Wilson could make sense from a cost perspective, but like Cousins, there has been no outside interest in Wilson as of yet, from the Bengals or any other club.

If Cincy sticks to their Browning plan, and if Browning does not improve, the 2-2 team could soon be 2-5 (the Bengals’ next three games are against the Lions, Packers, and Steelers). And, if that should happen, Pelissero logically predicts that rival teams will consider the Bengals deadline sellers and will begin calling about their logical trade candidates (which likely would include DE Trey Hendrickson).

Bengals Express Confidence In Jake Browning; Team Unlikely To Make QB Trade?

October 2nd, 2025 at 10:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

One of the worst Bengals two-game stretches in years came between Weeks 3 and 4 this season, when Zac Taylor‘s team was outscored 76-13 in losses to the Vikings and Broncos. Although Cincinnati won its Week 2 game after Joe Burrow‘s injury, they have not remotely kept pace since.

The Bengals did not cross midfield during the final three quarters Monday night in Denver. After submitting surprisingly productive work in relief of Burrow down the stretch in 2023, Jake Browning has struggled. The veteran backup is on a two-year, $1.95MM deal. While that contract would support the Bengals pursuing a veteran as a potential upgrade, Burrow’s $55MM-per-year extension brings a complication for a franchise not known for in-season trade pickups.

Cincinnati has only acquired two players — offensive lineman B.J. Finney and running back Khalil Herbert — in-season via trade over the past 53 years. Many around the league are indeed skeptical the team would change its stripes for a quarterback, the Washington Post’s Mark Maske notes.

Doubt about Cincy going after a QB is generally based on the organization’s M.O. Despite the payments going to Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins this offseason, the team again took criticism for thriftiness during the Trey Hendrickson and Shemar Stewart standoffs. Although it would stand to reason Russell Wilson or Kirk Cousins would be an upgrade on Browning, Taylor reaffirmed his confidence in his backup following the 28-3 Broncos loss. Taylor said he has “a ton” of confidence in Browning and is unwavering in his faith in Burrow’s multiyear backup.

If Browning continues to produce duds, it would stand to reason the Bengals consider upgrading. They did not show such interest following Burrow’s injury, however. Browning’s knowledge of Taylor’s system works in his favor, but the team will need to show immediate progress if it is to salvage the season and make a late-season Burrow return from toe surgery worthwhile. Burrow has been mentioned as a candidate to come back potentially in December, but if the Bengals continue to play like they did in Minnesota and Denver, a reemergence would not make much sense.

Wilson is on just a $2MM base salary, meaning the Bengals would only be responsible for a prorated amount. The Giants gave the since-benched passer an $8MM signing bonus, covering the bulk of his $10.5MM deal. New York having gone to Jaxson Dart makes Wilson an obvious trade candidate, with Jameis Winston signed through 2026 as a backup option. The team going to Dart makes one of the veterans redundant, and Wilson has indeed circulated as a trade chip. Given the investments the Bengals have made in Chase and Higgins — to go with Hendrickson being given a contract-year raise but not an extension — it would make sense if they pursued Wilson due to his experience and low base salary.

Cousins would seemingly be a nonstarter, as the Falcons are still holding onto the NFL’s most expensive (by far) backup. Atlanta has not displayed a willingness to pay down much (if any) of Cousins’ salary ($27.5MM), continuing a refrain from the offseason.

Cousins looked for a way out in March and April, but nothing materialized. It had long been assumed a high-profile injury would be necessary for Cousins to escape Atlanta, but unless the Falcons agree to pay down almost all of his base pay, it would be hard to see the Bengals eyeing him as a Burrow emergency replacement.

For in-house options, the Bengals have Brett Rypien as their active-roster backup and Mike White and Sean Clifford stashed on the practice squad. None of the other arms is close to matching Browning’s experience under Taylor, with each being acquired late in the summer (Rypien) or following Burrow’s injury (Clifford, White). For now, the team will continue to hope Browning can improve. The team faces the Lions, Packers, Steelers, Jets and Bears before its bye week.

Bengals Did Not Seek Trade For QB Following Joe Burrow Injury

September 21st, 2025 at 11:05am CST by Rory Parks

On Tuesday, the Bengals signed free agents Sean Clifford and Mike White to supplement their QB depth chart in the wake of Joe Burrow’s turf toe injury, which will keep the star signal-caller sidelined until sometime in December. But as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports, Cincinnati did not make any trade inquiries into veteran passers on other teams.

The implication is that the Bengals believe Browning gives them at least as good of a chance to win as any trade candidate. And there is some justification for that belief. As ESPN’s Adam Schefter observes, Browning’s 70.4% completion percentage during the seven games he played in relief of an injured Burrow in 2023 led the NFL. That percentage was not simply a function of short, safe passes, because his 267 passing yards-per-game average was the sixth-highest mark in the league during his stint as a starter (which yielded a 4-3 record).

After Burrow exited last week’s game against the Jaguars, Browning completed 21 of 32 passes for 241 yards and a pair of touchdowns while also rushing for the game-winning score in the waning moments of the contest. However, he did throw three interceptions, so ball security was surely a point of emphasis in practice this week.

Despite close calls against the Browns and Jags to open the current campaign, the Bengals are 2-0. They will hope that Browning can keep them in the running for a playoff berth come December, when Burrow will have a chance to return. Rapoport says that remains a possibility and that Cincinnati could have the two-time Pro Bowler back on the field for the last few games of the regular season if the team’s record warrants it, though Burrow’s rehab will also have to go “perfectly.”

For the 29-year-old Browning, the next several months represent a prime opportunity to cash in. As Rapoport points out, the 2019 UDFA did not stick on an active roster until 2023. Therefore, he will only hit three years of service time at the end of this season, which will make him a restricted free agent in 2026.

The Bengals will have the option of tendering Browning at the original-round level (a tender that was worth $3.4MM this year), second-round level ($5.33MM), or first-round level ($7.5MM). Given Burrow’s history of health concerns, a first-round tender is not out of the question, especially since annual salaries for qualified backup QBs are around the $6MM-$8MM range (with the obvious exception of Kirk Cousins, who was not signed to be a backup).

Rapoport also leaves open the possibility that the Bengals and Browning could agree to an extension, as the Bears and Tyson Bagent did in August. Or, if Browning plays well enough to convince another team he can be a full-time starter, such a team could sign the Washington product to an offer sheet that Cincy cannot match.

Of course, a great deal has to go right for that to be a realistic possibility. For now, Browning & Co. will try to navigate a schedule that includes matchups with playoff hopefuls like the Broncos, Lions, Packers, and Steelers.

Bengals Sign QB Desmond Ridder

July 20th, 2025 at 12:11pm CST by Rory Parks

The Bengals have agreed to terms with free agent QB Desmond Ridder, per Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. Ridder was eligible for restricted free agency this offseason but was non-tendered by the Raiders. A planned Broncos workout did not take place, and a workout with the Colts did not produce a deal.

Ridder, who will turn 26 next month, entered the league as a third-round pick of the Falcons in 2022. He earned a starting job by the end of his rookie year, and he was named the starter in advance of the 2023 campaign. Despite a brief demotion in favor of Taylor Heinicke that year, Ridder started 13 games, winning six of them.

His performance was generally underwhelming — and was certainly not enough to prevent Atlanta from signing Kirk Cousins in free agency last offseason — and he was traded to the Cardinals shortly after Cousins came aboard. Ridder ultimately lost Arizona’s backup quarterback battle to Clayton Tune, and after he spent several months on the team’s taxi squad, he signed with the QB-needy Las Vegas outfit.

Ridder started just one game for the Raiders (in Week 15), and he completed 23 of 39 passes for 208 yards and a touchdown against two interceptions in a 15-9 loss. The new Vegas regime is moving forward with Aidan O’Connell as its backup to new acquisition Geno Smith, leaving Ridder to search for his next opportunity elsewhere.

As he battles for his NFL future, Ridder will at least be in familiar environs, as he excelled as a collegian with the University of Cincinnati (leading the Bearcats to the college football playoff semi-finals against Alabama in 2021). Bengals HC Zac Taylor worked as the Bearcats’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2016 and played a significant role in recruiting Ridder, per Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Nonetheless, Conway says Ridder will be competing for the No. 3 spot on the depth chart with Logan Woodside. That indicates Jake Browning’s job as Joe Burrow’s top backup is safe. 

Bengals Extend QB Jake Browning, Sign QB Logan Woodside

April 23rd, 2024 at 9:10am CST by Sam Robinson

Teams regularly come to extension agreements with players to replace RFA tender numbers; the Bengals will move forward on this front with Jake Browning a year early.

Cincinnati’s backup quarterback agreed to terms on a two-year extension. Browning was tied to an ERFA tender. The team has announced the extension, one that could ensure the status quo remains on the Cincy QB depth chart for the foreseeable future.

This deal keeps Browning on track for unrestricted free agency in 2026, but the Bengals will bypass the RFA process next year and have him locked down until then. This marks a notable commitment from the team for Browning, who had been the team’s third-stringer prior to Brandon Allen‘s 2023 exit. Joe Burrow‘s season-ending wrist injury last year elevated Browning’s profile.

While Browning’s near-half-season sample represents a notable caveat, the former UDFA leading the NFL in completion percentage (70.4) during a season in which he averaged eight yards per attempt certainly impressed given his profile. Browning, 28, had been with the Bengals since September 2021. The Vikings waived Browning — a transaction he memorably reminded the NFC North team of after Cincinnati’s last-second win over Minnesota late last season — to set up his relocation.

Browning was ultimately unable to keep the Bengals afloat in the playoff race, but the team’s fortunes did not completely crater post-Burrow. The Bengals had already dug themselves an early hole, with Burrow’s training camp calf injury proving an impediment once the season started. The Bengals won three of Browning’s first four starts, including a 34-31 overtime win over the Jaguars that featured a 354-yard showing from the visitors’ backup QB. Browning then added 275 yards and two touchdown passes in a 34-14 win over the Colts the next week. Although the Bengals stumbled down the stretch, they saw encouraging signs from their low-cost backup during Burrow’s absence.

In addition to Browning’s new terms, the Bengals signed Logan Woodside on Tuesday. This marks a reunion for Woodside, who entered the NFL as a Bengals draft choice back in 2018. Considering Zac Taylor was not yet with the team when that selection occurred, this is an interesting addition. Woodside, 29, steps in as Cincy’s third QB. New OC Dan Pitcher, however, was with the Bengals during Woodside’s 2018 cameo.

Woodside’s initial Bengals stay proved short-lived; Marvin Lewis‘ team waived him in September 2018. The Toledo alum caught on with the Titans soon after and ended up staying with Tennessee until December 2022, when the Falcons — and ex-Titans OC Arthur Smith — added him to their active roster. Woodside has never made an NFL start, totaling 14 pass attempts, but brings considerable experience for a potential third-string role.

RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 2/28/24

February 28th, 2024 at 6:46pm CST by Ely Allen

Decisions were made for three exclusive rights free agents today:

ERFAs

Tendered:

Non-tendered:

Cincinnati made the call to hold on to their starting long snapper of the past two seasons, as well as their backup quarterback. An undrafted free agent out of Washington back in 2019, Browning finally made his NFL debut this year, getting significant run due to a season-ending injury to starter Joe Burrow. In seven starts as Burrow’s replacement, Browning led the league with a 70.4 completion percentage, throwing 12 touchdowns to seven interceptions while averaging just over 215 passing yards per game. The team won four of the seven games in which Browning started. As tendered exclusive rights free agents, Adomitis and Browning will have the option to either sign the tender offer or work towards a long-term deal.

Dorsey, on the other hand, will head to the free agent market after Detroit opted not to pick him back up. A depth cornerback, Dorsey started two games for the Lions this year but had a bigger impact on special teams, where he served as the team’s top kickoff return man.

AFC North Notes: Browns, Browning, Steelers

December 27th, 2023 at 1:47pm CST by Sam Robinson

In between the Browns going public with Deshaun Watson‘s season-ending injury and the team signing Joe Flacco, GM Andrew Berry gave his top two front office lieutenants an assignment. Berry asked assistant GMs Glenn Cook and Catherine Raiche to independently rank the veteran QB options, per SI.com’s Albert Breer, while doing the same himself. Although this process produced different second- and third-place finishers, Flacco ranked first across the board. Kevin Stefanski reaching out to ex-Vikings coworker Gary Kubiak on Flacco also helped the veteran’s cause, Breer adds. Flacco’s OC with the Ravens in 2014, Kubiak spoke highly of the former Super Bowl MVP. One of Flacco’s best seasons came under Kubiak in 2014, helping the latter become the Broncos’ HC.

After years as a backup, Flacco has taken the reins in Cleveland and has the team on the cusp of its second playoff berth over the past 20 years. Out of football until November, Flacco is now interested in playing next season. The Browns are interested in Flacco staying in Cleveland to do so.

Here is the latest from the AFC North:

  • Jake Browning took a step back in a Bengals Week 16 loss, but coming into that Steelers matchup, Joe Burrow‘s backup had been highly effective. The fifth-year veteran, who had never taken a regular-season snap until this year, still carries a 72% completion rate and an 8.5-yard average per attempt. Browning, 27, moved up from third-stringer to backup this year, with the Bengals letting Brandon Allen walk in free agency, and Outkick.com’s Armando Salguero notes he is interested in seeing what is out there for him in free agency. A 2024 free agent, Browning would at least generate appeal as an intriguing QB2. Teams have been burned by signing backups to be starters in recent years — as the additions of Brock Osweiler (Texans) and Nick Foles (Jaguars) have most famously shown — but this is a rather valuable position. Browning finishing the season strong will only up his price for 2024.
  • Patrick Peterson made his first start at safety in Week 16, intercepting Browning. Replacing Minkah Fitzpatrick in a depleted Steelers secondary, Peterson views the move as something that could extend his career. Aiming to play through at least the 2025 season (which would be his 15th year), the All-Decade cornerback said the move could be a prelude for his future. “I feel like this is a great move for me at this stage of my career,” Peterson said, via the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review’s Joe Rutter. “We have good corners who can be a cornerstone for this team. This could be my second career.” The Steelers had some safety work in mind when they signed Peterson to a two-year, $14MM deal. It will be interesting to see how Peterson, 33, is used moving forward. Steelers have Keanu Neal on IR and Damontae Kazee suspended for the regular season’s remainder.
  • Browns linebacker Anthony Walker underwent arthroscopic knee surgery recently, per ESPN.com’s Jake Trotter. The veteran defender missed Week 16 and is week-to-week. Walker suffered a torn quad tendon last year, ending his season after three games, but re-signed with the Browns and has started 12 games this season. Pro Football Focus ranks the ex-Colts draftee 32nd among off-ball ‘backers this season. Walker is not on IR, but he joins a growing number of unavailable Browns defenders. Ogbo Okoronkwo, Grant Delpit and Rodney McLeod are out of the mix as well. Delpit is on IR but could return in the playoffs, while Okoronkwo remains on the active roster despite a torn pec.

AFC North Rumors: Bengals, Battle, Watson, Steelers

November 26th, 2023 at 9:41pm CST by Ely Allen

The Bengals have already announced that starting quarterback Joe Burrow‘s season is over after he suffered a thumb ligament tear. The only information left to report on Burrow’s situation is that he is set to undergo wrist surgery tomorrow, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The expectation is that Burrow will be able to make a full recovery in time for the 2024 season.

On the administrative side of things, Rapoport also reports that the league is “investigating if Cincinnati should have listed Burrow on its injury report prior to” the game in which he seemingly suffered the season-ending injury. The night before the team’s matchup in Baltimore, Burrow was shown on a team social media post with an apparatus on his right wrist before the post was taken down. That same wrist is the one receiving surgery tomorrow. Rapoport says that the Bengals have “turned in hours of footage to the NFL showing that Burrow was healthy prior to the game.” The team’s doctors claim that the injury was acute and not one that happened over time.

The team opted to run Burrow’s offense and playbook in Jake Browning‘s first career start. The Bengals coaches had full confidence in Browning running the offense but still planned to run the ball a bit more than usual to take some pressure off his shoulders. Browning and the Bengals would lose to Pittsburgh, but Browning would complete 19 of 26 pass attempts for 227 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. The plan to run the ball a bit more fell through as limited possession time and offensive success led to only 11 carries.

Here are a few other rumors from around the AFC North, staying in Cincinnati for a beat:

  • Another position for the Bengals experienced a change in starter as defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo announced rookie third-round pick Jordan Battle as the team’s starting strong safety over Nick Scott earlier this week, per Kelsey Conway of USA Today. Scott still had a role in today’s game but played a clear second fiddle to Battle. Asked what about Battle made him the choice at starter, Anarumo claimed it was his tackling ability.
  • Another AFC North starting quarterback underwent surgery for their season-ending injury as the Browns‘ Deshaun Watson had a procedure done on his shoulder earlier this week, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. Watson is expected to be healed in time to start the 2024 season.
  • A big story in the struggles of the Steelers’ offense this year has been the frustration of wide receiver Diontae Johnson. Those frustrations reportedly boiled over after last week’s loss to the Browns, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, leading to a heated argument with star safety Minkah Fitzpatrick that needed to be broken up by teammates Cameron Heyward and T.J. Watt. Johnson only had two catches on the day and was visibly upset on the sideline as he engaged in an animated conversation with head coach Mike Tomlin. Johnson’s annoyance would continue as he was later seen “chirping” at the coaches all the way to the locker room after the game before being confronted by Fitzpatrick. Perhaps the firing of former offensive coordinator Matt Canada helped to cool Johnson down, as Johnson received eight targets today.
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