The Cincinnati Bengals continue their preseason on Monday night when they take on the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET on ESPN and Cincinnati’s Channel 5.
All eyes will be on Joe Burrow and the first-team offense in the first quarter, but the performances from Desmond Ridder and Jake Browning could potentially be the deciding factor for the team’s backup role.
Ridder took reps with the second-team offense in the middle of last week during practice, but Browning got his to end the week.
The back-and-forth made it clear the coaching staff wants to see both players under the Monday night lights before making a final call.
Ridder vs. Browning: Bengals QB2 Battle
After completing 7-of-16 passes for 91 yards and one touchdown in his preseason debut with the Bengals in Week 1, Ridder showed flashes of the poise that he had when he was starting under center for the Atlanta Falcons in 2023.
The former Cincinnati Bearcats gunslinger gets another shot to show that last week wasn’t a fluke, and he’ll look to string together a few quality drives against Dan Quinn and Joe Whitt Jr.’s Commanders defense.
Head coach Zac Taylor has been careful not to officially declare a clear favorite in the QB2 competition. He’s giving both Ridder and Browning meaningful reps in practice and preseason action.
Browning’s QB2 Role On The Line In Preseason
While the competition has been fair, Taylor’s previous connection to Ridder can’t be overlooked. He first recruited Ridder to Cincinnati University, before the young QB went on to lead the Bearcats to the College Football Playoff in 2021.
“We had a quick workout,” Ridder recalled of Taylor, per John Sheeran of AtoZ Sports. “We had never met before, me and Coach Taylor, but I kind of just clicked with him off the bat. I liked who he was, just who I saw in that quick 30 minutes. We connected and chatted a little bit.
“He liked everything that he saw from me and believed in me.”
Browning entered the 2025 training camp firmly in the QB2 role behind Burrow, but Ridder’s arrival this summer immediately signaled that competition was coming.
Both quarterbacks have worthy experience as a starter. Browning has the edge because of the familiarity with running the Bengals offense in the regular season. In 2023, he stepped in and played admirably for an injured Burrow — delivering an efficient 70.4 completion percentage for 1,936 yards, 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions in nine appearances.
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