Jake Browning

Will Grier Will Compete For Bengals’ Backup QB Job

The Bengals recently signed quarterback Will Grier to their practice squad, and Jake Browning is the only signal-caller other than Joe Burrow on the 53-man roster. Nonetheless, Grier will have an opportunity to unseat Browning as Burrow’s backup, according to Jay Morrison of Pro Football Network.

Grier, a third-round pick of the Panthers in 2019, entered training camp as a member of the Cowboys and was vying for a spot on the club’s QB depth chart alongside Dak Prescott and Cooper Rush. But when Dallas swung a trade for Trey Lance mere hours before its preseason finale against the Raiders, it was clear that Grier would soon be cut.

Knowing that he was now auditioning exclusively for other teams, Grier took every snap of that third and final preseason contest. He threw for 305 yards, rushed for 53 yards, and accounted for four total touchdowns (two throwing and two on the ground). Cowboys owner Jerry Jones called it the best preseason performance he had seen since 1999, and it caught the attention of the rest of the league.

As Morrison writes, Grier fielded mutliple phone calls after Dallas officially released him, but Grier ultimately felt Cincinnati represented the best fit.

“A big part for me was being on a good, competitive team, somebody that had talent and was a Super Bowl contender, which clearly this place is,” Grier said. “That was a big part of the decision.”

The fact that Grier has a real chance to become the QB2 doubtlessly influenced his decision to sign with the Bengals as well. Browning, who signed with the Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2019, has never thrown a regular season pass, and while he has spent the past two years in Cincinnati, much of that time has come on the taxi squad. He did beat out Trevor Siemian for the backup quarterback gig this summer, but he did not necessarily dazzle the coaching staff with his performance, and we heard towards the end of last month that the Bengals could be looking to supplement their QB room.

They did just that with the Grier acquisition. It is true that Grier does not have substantially more regular season experience than Browning; the former West Virginia standout has played in just two regular season games, and they were the final two contests of the 2019 campaign, when a dismal Panthers squad was playing out the string. Grier started and lost both games, completing just 53.8% of his passes while throwing four interceptions and no touchdowns.

Still, the Bengals (among other teams) saw something they liked, and Grier, who believes he is playing the best football of his career, will get his shot to back up one of the league’s best QBs.

Bengals To Release QB Trevor Siemian

As Joe Burrow works his way back from the calf strain he suffered early in training camp, the Bengals are moving their more experienced QB2 option off their roster. Trevor Siemian will be cut, per ProFootballNetwork.com’s Jay Morrison.

The well-traveled backup, whom Cincinnati signed midway through the offseason, lost the job to Jake Browning. Both the Bears and Bengals have cut Siemian, 31, this year. While the Bengals could conceivably circle back once they set their roster or reunite with Siemian on a practice squad agreement, the defending AFC North champions are rolling with a Burrow-Browning depth chart for the time being.

When Burrow went down, Zac Taylor said the superstar QB would be out “several weeks.” The former No. 1 overall pick has rehabbed to the point it is considered likely he will be back in time to start the season. This is a similar role for the ex-LSU record-setting passer, who missed the preseason in 2021 due to ACL rehab and 2022 because of an appendectomy. Burrow has piloted the Bengals to the past two AFC championship games and has not missed regular-season time due to injury since his rookie-year knee setback in 2020.

The Bengals, however, let their primary Burrow backup — Brandon Allen — sign with the 49ers this offseason. They added Siemian on that May day. Allen does not look like he will be moved off the 49ers’ 53-man roster, with San Francisco dealing Trey Lance to Dallas. With Allen unlikely to come back to the Bengals — a rumored scenario prior to the Lance trade — the team may be on the hunt for a better backup. Browning has never taken a regular-season snap.

Siemian becoming a surprise starter for a defending Super Bowl champion back in 2016 made him a household name of sorts early in his career. The former seventh-round pick has bounced around since his two-year run as Peyton Manning‘s Broncos successor. Siemian has since been with the Vikings, Jets, Titans, Saints and Bears. The Northwestern alum could catch on with an eighth team soon.

The Bengals are also waiving quarterback Reid Sinnett, per The Score’s Jordan Schultz, though they are interested in circling back on a practice squad deal. Sinnett could become Cincinnati’s emergency gameday quarterback, but the team would need to elevate him to its active roster to greenlight that prospect.

Bengals Could Target QB Addition

Neither Jake Browning nor Trevor Siemian have run away with the Bengals QB2 gig, a job that’s becoming increasingly important considering Joe Burrow‘s questionable status to start the regular season. Head coach Zac Taylor admitted that the organization could add another quarterback to the mix, but he also cautioned that introducing an outside QB to Cincy’s system could be difficult with only weeks remaining until the regular season.

“I think anything’s feasible,” Taylor said (via The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr.). “But at the same time, there are a lot of nuances to our offense when you’re asking that guy to learn that quickly and be able to operate it in a game, it’s a challenge. It’s a challenge in any system. I think it’s a challenge in our system. These guys, I like where they’re headed mentally with our system. I like where they’re headed physically in terms of operating with the urgency and the communication that we want, and the accuracy.”

As Dehner Jr. writes, the Bengals may need an outside QB to “win games the first month of the season,” and that free agent acquisition might not have enough time to pick up the offense. Further, the front office isn’t in a position to spend big on a backup quarterback, which probably eliminates some of the big names remaining in free agency.

One of the most realistic targets for the Bengals could be Brandon Allen, who spent the past three years as Burrow’s backup. The quarterback signed with the 49ers earlier this offseason, but he’s the clear QB4 on a depth chart that also includes Brock Purdy, Trey Lance, and Sam Darnold. Assuming Allen is cut loose, he’d fit the low-cost, system-familiar option that the Bengals could be seeking.

Of course, the easiest route is for one of the Bengals’ in-house options to turn into a definitive backup to Burrow. As Dehner Jr. notes, Browning has had his ups and downs during the preseason, but he’s still had a better showing than his veteran teammate. The former Vikings UDFA has spent almost two years in the Bengals organization, and Taylor said that the experience gives Browning an upper hand.

“Jake has now been here for several years,” Taylor said. “He understands the system and how you want to operate it. That’s an advantage he’s had from the jump. I think his urgency has continued to increase lately. I really like that. He does a great job just as a leader. Guys believe in him and as he moves around and operates there is a confidence there that guys have. You see that from Trevor as well. Jake, you can see why he’s had a really successful high school career, a really successful college career and he’s getting these opportunities in the league to fight his way up a depth chart really has been the story of his career.”

We heard earlier this month that Burrow is “progressing as he should” in his return from a calf sprain. Recent reports indicated that the Pro Bowler should be good to go for Week 1, but the Bengals will proceed with the utmost caution as they pursue another AFC crown.

Latest On Bengals QB Joe Burrow

It’s been quiet on the Joe Burrow front, but the Bengals quarterback showed that he’s progressing from his calf sprain before last night’s game. As ESPN’s Ben Baby writes, Burrow had a throwing session before Friday’s preseason game against the Packers. This was the first time the quarterback has been seen throwing since suffering his injury in July.

[RELATED: Bengals Expect Joe Burrow To Miss Several Weeks]

Zac Taylor didn’t provide a whole lot of insight after the game, but he acknowledged that Burrow is “progressing as he should.” As Baby notes, Burrow returned to practice on Wednesday for the first time since suffering the leg injury, although the quarterback was obviously just a spectator on the sideline.

The entire organization held their breath when Burrow went down with a non-contact injury during a late-July practice. The quarterback was later diagnosed with a calf strain, with the Bengals asserting that he wouldn’t see the practice field for “several weeks.” Burrow is still out indefinitely, and while that’s led some panicked pundits to wonder if he could miss regular season time, Ian Rapoport reported a few weeks ago that the star quarterback should be ready for Week 1.

“He’s been rehabbing quite a bit,” offensive coordinator Brian Callahan said this week. “He’s doing a good job and to have him out at practice is always beneficial. Guys like seeing him too. I think you saw everybody excited to have him out, standing around watching.”

With Brandon Allen gone, the Bengals will be eyeing a new backup in 2023. 2022 practice-squad player Jake Browning got the first shot at the QB2 role during last night’s preseason game, connecting on 10 of his 17 pass attempts for 95 yards and one interception. Offseason acquisition Trevor Siemian later took over, going 15-of-28 for 121 yards and a pick.

NFL Reserve/Futures Deals: 1/31/23

Here are today’s reserve/futures contracts handed out:

Cincinnati Bengals

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/28/23

Today’s minor moves as we prepare for Championship Sunday:

Cincinnati Bengals

Kansas City Chiefs

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/7/23

Today’s minor transactions heading into the final Sunday of the regular season:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

  • Promoted from practice squad: WR Josh Ali

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Giants

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/2/23

Here are Monday’s minor moves:

Buffalo Bills 

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Signed from practice squad: CB Allan George
  • Promoted: QB Jake Browning

Tennessee Titans

Wednesday NFL Transactions: AFC North

Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These BengalsBrowns, Ravens and Steelers moves are noted below.

Here are Wednesday’s AFC North transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day.

Baltimore Ravens

Signed:

Claimed:

Waived:

Placed on IR:

Signed to practice squad:

Cincinnati Bengals

Claimed:

Released:

Waived:

Placed on IR:

Signed to practice squad:

Cleveland Browns

Claimed: 

Released:

Signed to practice squad:

Pittsburgh Steelers

Bengals’ Roster Down To Final 53

Cincinnati made the necessary moves today to trim its roster down to 53 players. While some may find themselves back in the striped helmet Wednesday, many will have to clear waivers before being announced to the 16-man practice squad. Here are the moves made today to get down to the 53-man roster:

Released:

Waived:

Waived/injured:

Placed on reserve/PUP list:

The defending AFC champions are looking to run it back with much of the same roster as last year. Thirty-eight of this year’s 53-man roster were on last year’s Super Bowl roster, with the differences coming on offensive line and at the bottom of the depth chart.

Additionally, it appears all six 2022 draft picks made the roster for the Bengals, as well as one undrafted rookie signing. With so many starters returning from the Super Bowl team, all the rookies will be expected to contribute in backup roles. First- and second-round defensive backs Daxton Hill and Cam Taylor-Britt figure to factor heavily into the defensive rotation, though. Also in the secondary, cornerback Allan George is the lone UDFA from this year’s crop to make Cincinnati’s final roster.

To call it the final roster is a bit misleading as the Bengals will likely follow their own trends from last season, setting the roster up for multiple post-deadline moves. The roster currently includes 11 defensive backs, not including starting safety Jessie Bates, working currently on a roster exemption. Taylor-Britt could likely find his way to the four-week injured reserve list after undergoing core surgery recently. Defensive end Khalid Kareem will join Taylor-Britt on short-term IR, according to head coach Zac Taylor, with a hamstring injury.

Many expect Cincinnati to mirror a roster move from last year with wide receiver Thomas. Thomas is a vested veteran who will avoid the waiver wire and is expected to re-sign with the team after a corresponding roster move, exactly what he did last year.

Finally, two position battles have been effectively decided with the waiving of long snapper Adomitis and punter Chrisman. Both intended to challenge incumbents Clark Harris and Kevin Huber from their long-time starting jobs. After avoiding being unseated, Huber is now on track to set a franchise record for games played in a Bengals uniform. Harris is close behind, trailing Huber by just six games.