The Cincinnati Bengals crossed enemy lines on Tuesday, hoping to put an end to their quarterback fiasco.
After three consecutive losses with Jake Browning under center, the team struck a deal with the Cleveland Browns for veteran Joe Flacco — a move equal parts risky and necessary for a franchise staring at a lost season without Joe Burrow.
The Bengals are 2-3 and desperate to steady the ship before it sinks completely. Flacco, a 40-year-old former Super Bowl MVP and longtime Ravens nemesis, now becomes the unlikely QB1 in Cincinnati.
Amid all the chatter about picks, trades, and cap implications, former Bengals WR Chad Johnson and franchise supporter cut through the noise like a laser.
Within minutes of Flacco landing in Cincinnati, he fired off a tweet that said more than a dozen press releases ever could:
“Joe Flacco, throw it to Chase & Higgins‼️” In one sentence, he summed up exactly what every fan was thinking.
In vintage Ocho flair, he laid out the truth. This offense thrives only when Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are fed.
Mike White Out, Flacco In, Bengals QB Room in Flux
The Flacco deal capped a whirlwind 48 hours for Cincinnati. On Tuesday, the team released quarterback Mike White from the practice squad, ending a short-lived stint that began when Burrow went down with a turf toe injury in Week 2. White never took a snap, but his presence was meant as insurance in an already fragile quarterback room.
That left Browning and Brett Rypien as the only options under center. Browning’s performance over three consecutive losses was steady in the numbers but catastrophic in results. Against the Detroit Lions, Cincinnati fell behind 28-3 before a late flurry of touchdowns made the final score (37-24) look closer than the game felt. The turnovers piled up, leaving the Bengals’ hopes in peril.
Head coach Zac Taylor had been noncommittal about sticking with Browning, and Tuesday’s trade answered the question — for now.
Flacco, along with a sixth-round pick in 2026, arrives to the Bengals in exchange for a fifth-round pick.
Browning is expected to slide into a backup role while Flacco takes first-team reps this week ahead of the critical Week 6 road matchup against the Green Bay Packers.
Jameis Winston… And What Could Have Been
While Flacco is now in Cincinnati, Chad Johnson’s previous Twitter/X post of a GIF pointing to Jameis Winston earlier on Tuesday remains a talking point.
The former No. 1 overall pick currently serves as a backup with Russell Wilson for New York Giants rookie Jaxson Dart, but Johnson’s playful nudge underscores a larger truth: the Bengals need a gunslinger quarterback capable of stabilizing the offense and delivering the ball to their elite weapons.
Winston, with over 24,000 career passing yards and a league-leading passing season on his resume, represents exactly the type of talent Cincinnati lacks while Burrow is out. But Zac Taylor and the Bengals ultimately viewed Flacco as the most suitable and realistic fit for the scheme.
It’s less about Winston specifically and more about the template he represents — a proven arm who can make reads quickly, trust his receivers, and limit turnovers. That’s precisely what Flacco is being asked to do, albeit with a much shorter leash.
The Bengals offense still boasts Chase, Higgins, and Chase Brown — all of whom thrive when given a competent quarterback.
Flacco’s job is to stay upright and get the ball to the playmakers. However, it could prove difficult behind a struggling offensive line.
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