Joe Burrow joined Anthony Richardson as past top-five NFL draft picks setting foot at the Kettering Health Practice Field in Cincinnati on Tuesday. But who’s joining Burrow in the Cincinnati Bengals‘ QB room before the 2024 season starts?
With Burrow expected to sit ahead of Thursday’s preseason finale against the Indianapolis Colts, it’s time to look at the quarterback options likely to play for Cincy competing behind the AFC champion QB for spots on the roster.
Who Else Lines up at Quarterback Alongside Joe Burrow?
While Burrow, 27, is the young, fast-rising star in the league, the rest of the QB options are a mixture of fellow veterans and one older rookie, one of whom had to handle QB1 duties for the final seven regular season: Jake Browning.
After Burrow got placed on injured reserve with an injured wrist during the 2023 season, the 28-year-old Browning assumed the starting reins. Browning helped keep the Bengals in the AFC playoff race by producing three 300-yard outings.
However, the former Washington Huskies star threw interceptions in five contests, including three costly picks in the crucial Dec. 23 road contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers. That outing damaged the Bengals’ playoff pursuit, falling 34-11 at Acrisure Stadium. Despite finishing above .500 at 9-8, Cincinnati still missed the postseason.
Still, Browning proved he can operate the Bengals’ offense with efficiency. He completed 70.37% of his throws, tossed 12 touchdowns, was picked off seven times, and went 4-3 overall as a starter.
Furthermore, according to TruMedia, Browning was at his best during second-down scenarios — completing 73.3% of his passes. Browning was additionally reliable on throws toward his right, even completing 75% of his targets on passes that stretched 25+ yards, per the chart.
Browning gives Cincy clear assurance of having a reliable option in case Burrow goes down. But outside of him, who else is trying to latch onto the final 53-man roster in the quarterback department?
Getting To Know Logan Woodside
Logan Woodside took the start and the bulk of the snaps in the Bengals’ second preseason contest against the Chicago Bears.
He finished 17-of-25 for 132 yards but got intercepted twice in the 27-3 loss at Soldier Field. Woodside was eventually pulled late in the third quarter.
Woodside is another veteran presence in his late 20s. The 29-year-old is in his fifth season in the league out of Toledo. However, the Bengals drafted Woodside before Burrow, taking him in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL Draft at No. 249.
The 6’1″, 201-pounder has had multiple stints with the Bengals. He was waived before Cincy’s 2018 regular-season opener and was picked up by the Tennessee Titans. But on April 23, 2024, Woodside made his way back to the Bengals.
Somewhere in the middle, Woodside had multiple stops with the Titans, suited up for the Atlanta Falcons, and played for the San Antonio Commanders in the AAF.
Woodside holds the title of both the shortest and oldest QB option in the Bengals’ room. Outside of the veteran, Cincy has one more passing option.
Getting To Know Rocky Lombardi
Rocky Lombardi arrives via Northern Illinois, where he played from 2021-23. He tallied 5,516 passing yards with 31 touchdowns and 16 interceptions, guiding two bowl appearances with the Huskies. Lombardi, though, never heard his name called during the NFL Draft and joins Cincy as an undrafted free agent.
He’s not your typical young rookie. Lombardi may be the youngest Cincinnati QB option, but he’s 26 years old. One reason for his late NFL arrival is that he had a previous collegiate stop through a Big Ten university.
The native of Ann Arbor, Mich., started his collegiate career with Michigan State as a member of the Class of 2017. At the time of his commitment, Lombardi had starred for Valley High School in Clive, Iowa, and was even offered by the in-state Big Ten representative Iowa Hawkeyes.
After taking a redshirt season in 2017, Lombardi saw minimal action from 2018 to 2020. He finished with 1,902 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions with the Spartans. He eventually entered the transfer portal following the truncated 2020 season.
Lombardi completed four of his eight passes for 33 yards in the loss to Chicago. He’s currently battling Woodside for QB3 on the roster behind Browning and Burrow.