After losing Joe Burrow for the entire season due to a wrist injury, the Cincinnati Bengals ought to be looking for a free agent quarterback to replace him.
The Cincinnati Bengals received devastating news after the loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday Night Football, as star quarterback Joe Burrow will be out for the season due to a wrist injury. Burrow left the game early against the Ravens, and now he’ll be out for the remainder of the 2023 NFL season with a torn ligament, via Ian Rapoport.
Burrow was replaced by Jake Browning on Thursday night after he left the game. In relief of Burrow, Browning went 8-for-15 for 68 yards and one touchdown pass. Browning played his first NFL regular season game that season. Even though Burrow was obviously not fully recovered from his calf injury at the beginning of the regular season, the Bengals surprisingly never looked for a seasoned backup behind him. Maybe the Bengals have enough faith in Browning’s ability within the team to pass on signing a starter in free agency.
With Burrow out for the season, it wouldn’t be shocking to see the Bengals look into free-agent quarterback options given Browning’s inexperience and Cincinnati’s continued chances of making the playoffs.
These are the top three Joe Burrow replacement choices in Cincinnati for the remainder of the season, should Cincinnati decide to take that course.
These are the top three Joe Burrow replacement choices in Cincinnati for the remainder of the season, should Cincinnati decide to take that course.
More importantly, Joe Flacco has years of experience playing in the AFC North thanks to his time in Baltimore. That on-field experience playing against the Steelers and Browns could come in handy and expedite the acclimation process for the veteran QB, as Cincinnati has two games remaining against Pittsburgh and the season finale against the Cleveland Browns still to come.
Flacco also has Super Bowl-winning experience, which should be of value to a veteran roster around him. Given his immense knowledge of the division (and of the Bengals), bringing in a veteran like Flacco who can effectively
manage the game and still throw the deep ball to Ja’Marr Chase seems like a perfect fit. The primary concern would be Flacco’s lack of pocket mobility, which stands in stark contrast to the way Burrow plays. There’d be an adjustment period, but Flacco is a trustworthy veteran QB option.
