Cincinnati Bengals Sign Former Quarterback to Their Practice Squad

Former Cincinnati Bengals quarterback AJ McCarron is at Paycor Stadium today.

Wearing an orange Bengals practice jersey, carrying a football and heading toward the practice fields, McCarron was asked if he was here for a workout, and he said he was.

Bengals Sign Former QB AJ McCarron

Shortly after the workout, the Bengals announced they signed McCarron to the practice squad.

We have signed QB AJ McCarron to the practice squad.

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) September 23, 2023

McCarron and Trace McSorley worked out for the team after it wrapped its final practice ahead of Monday night’s game against the Los Angeles Rams with starting quarterback Joe Burrow’s status in doubt due to the calf injury he tweaked Sunday in a 27-24 loss to the Ravens.

The Bengals will start Jake Browning if Burrow is unable to go, and they signed Reid Sinnett earlier in the week. The Bengals originally signed Sinnett when Burrow suffered the calf injury on July 27.

McCarron has not played in the NFL since 2020, when he appeared in two games with no starts for the Houston Texans. He most recently played with the St. Louis Battlehawks of the XFL.

The Bengals drafted McCarron in the fifth round in 2014. He spent his rookie year on the Non-Football Injury list and later filed a grievance against the Bengals for their handling of the situation.

McCarron took over as the starting quarterback in 2015 after Andy Dalton broke his thumb in Week 14.

MORE: Why Ja’Marr Chase Doesn’t Think Joe Burrow Is Playing

McCarron went 2-1 as a starter to help the Bengals win the AFC North Division title, and he threw a touchdown pass to A.J. Green with 1:50 remaining in the Wild Card playoff game to give the Bengals a 16-15 lead. Then came the infamous meltdown at Paul Brown as the Steelers rallied for an 18-16 win.