The Bengals entered the 2025 season with high hope with their superstar quarterback, Joe Burrow at the helm of the offence, but those aspirations were soon shattered with a toe injury in week two against Jacksonville Jaguars. Jake Browning, Bengals QB2 led the team to a win against the Jaguars but has since fallen short against the Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos and Detroit Lions.
The Bengals front office has had three games to evaluate Browning’s performance and have decided to replace with Joe Flacco in a trade with the Cleveland Brown. Following Joe Flacco’s horrific form for the Browns that ultimately saw him to be benched in favor of rookie quarterback Dillion Gabriel, Flacco gets a second chance in a new offence to prove himself and perhaps, give the Bengals a fighting chance of winning games until Joe Burrow returns.
Bengals offence under head coach Zac Taylor and offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher has stalled in the absence of Burrow. Joe Flacco’s ability to throw somewhat accurate deep balls on occasion will give Bengals wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins the chance to make big plays for points.
While this trade is likely to fix some of the Bengal’s issues, it raises an important questions, why Joe Flacco instead of Jameis Winston? We cant help to think New York Giants QB3 Jameis Winston would have been a better fit for the Bengals as opposed to a 40 year old Flacco who can run. Although Jameis Winston has his own unique issues, he is a younger, more athletic quarterback with a boom slinging arm capable finding targets down the line, perhaps the Giants were not willing to let go of Jameis Winston.
Flacco will have his work cut out for him when he faces the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, October 12.