The Cincinnati Bengals delivered devastating news on Friday, announcing that Joe Burrow will miss the remainder of the 2023 NFL season after tearing a ligament in his wrist during the club’s Thursday night loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
Head coach Zac Taylor said the Bengals will use backup Jake Browning as their starter for the rest of the year. If Cincinnati wants to add a free agent QB for depth purposes, who’s available on the open market?
Bengals QB Options Following Joe Burrow Injury
After relieving Burrow on TNF, Browning completed 8 of 14 attempts for 68 yards and a touchdown, adding four rushes for 40 yards. The 2019 undrafted free agent — who joined the Bengals’ practice squad in 2021 — received plenty of reps while Burrow was managing a preseason calf strain.
“I think guys think really highly of Jake and respect the work he puts in,” Taylor said. “I can’t speak enough to the types of questions that he asks. He asks difficult questions in the meetings to make sure that he’s prepared.”
MORE: Cincinnati Bengals Depth Chart
Still, Browning had never appeared in an NFL game until this season. He’d attempted just one pro pass until last night. There’s reason to think the Bengals might need another option besides practice-squader A.J. McCarron, who hasn’t played since 2020.
With the NFL trade deadline having already passed, the free agent market is Cincinnati’s only avenue to find another quarterback. Here’s who the Bengals might look into.
Joe Flacco
The Bengals weren’t the only AFC North team to lose their starting quarterback this week. The Cleveland Browns sent Deshaun Watson to injured reserve on Wednesday following the news that he’ll need season-ending shoulder surgery.
Potentially needing another QB behind Dorian Thompson-Robinson and P.J. Walker, the Browns worked out Joe Flacco on Friday. Flacco, who obviously knows his way around the AFC North after spending the first 11 years of his career with the Baltimore Ravens, started four games for the New York Jets in 2022.
Trevor Siemian
Trevor Siemian isn’t technically a free agent. He’s on the Jets’ practice squad, but the Bengals could sign him to their active roster (assuming he’s willing to leave New York).
Whether Siemian would want to come back to Cincinnati is an open question. He was with the Bengals over the summer and appeared poised to back up Burrow, only to be beaten out by Browning during the preseason. But Siemian would clearly be familiar with Taylor’s offensive scheme.
Brett Rypien
Speaking of scheme comfort, Brett Rypien has spent his entire career in the Sean McVay/Kyle Shanahan offense. Rypien played so poorly while filling in for Matthew Stafford in Week 9 that the Los Angeles Rams released him and signed Carson Wentz. Rypien is now working under McVay disciple Shane Waldron on the Seattle Seahawks’ practice squad.
Taylor, of course, worked under McVay as the Rams quarterbacks coach and runs the same scheme. Rypien could grasp Cincinnati’s playbook quickly, but it’s hard to be encouraged by his on-field performance.
Colt McCoy
Colt McCoy was supposed to be the Arizona Cardinals’ starting QB this season, but the club’s new coaching staff wasn’t impressed by his mobility and instead acquired Josh Dobbs.
Still, McCoy has received interest this year. The Jets reached out to him after Aaron Rodgers’ Week 1 Achilles injury, while McCoy worked out for the Minnesota Vikings in mid-October. The 37-year-old started six games for the Cardinals from 2021-22.
Matt Ryan
Speaking in May, Matt Ryan said “all the stars would have to (align)” for him to leave his job as a CBS broadcaster and return to the playing field. At this point in the season, convincing him to leave the booth might be even more difficult.
Ryan might be more intrigued if Cincinnati were a clear-cut contender trending toward the postseason. But the 5-5 Bengals are outside the AFC playoff picture and might not be able to get back in.
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