Bengals / Browns News
Bengals Acquire Veteran Flacco in Trade With Browns
The Cincinnati Bengals acquired quarterback Joe Flacco from the Cleveland Browns on Tuesday. The teams also exchanged draft picks in the deal. Cleveland sent Flacco and a sixth-round selection to Cincinnati. The Browns received a fifth-round pick in return. The sixth-round pick the Bengals acquired originally belonged to Detroit.
The move came two days after Cincinnati dropped its third straight game. The Bengals lost to the Lions 37-24 on Sunday at Paycor Stadium. Jake Browning threw three interceptions in the defeat.
Cincinnati fell to 2-3 with the loss. The Bengals have been outscored 113-37 during their three-game skid.
Head coach Zac Taylor did not commit to Browning as the starter when asked about the quarterback position after Sunday’s game. Taylor said the organization would look at all personnel to ensure they are doing the right thing. He admitted speculation about Browning’s role was fair given the number of turnovers.
The Bengals entered the season with playoff expectations and a healthy Joe Burrow. The franchise quarterback suffered a turf toe injury in Week 2 against Jacksonville. Burrow underwent surgery and will miss at least three months. Flacco joins Cincinnati at age 40 with recent success energizing struggling offenses. He won the Associated Press Comeback Player of the Year award in 2023 after a strong five-game stretch with Cleveland. The former Super Bowl MVP passed for 1,616 yards and 13 touchdowns after replacing injured Deshaun Watson. He led the Browns to a 4-1 record and an unlikely postseason berth.
The veteran also had a productive stretch last season with Indianapolis. Flacco replaced injured Anthony Richardson and appeared in eight games with six starts for the Colts. He completed 65.3 percent of his passes for 1,761 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Cleveland brought Flacco back this past offseason to provide veteran leadership. The quarterback room also included rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. The Browns drafted Gabriel in the third round and Sanders in the fifth round.
Flacco started Cleveland’s first four games this season before being replaced. Gabriel took over as starter for last Sunday’s loss to Minnesota in London. The 18-year veteran completed 58.1 percent of his passes for 815 yards with two touchdowns and six interceptions before the benching.
Flacco’s departure could open the door for Sanders to move up to the number two quarterback spot. Sanders had served as Cleveland’s emergency third-string quarterback through the first five games.
The Bengals have struggled offensively without Burrow. Browning has thrown eight interceptions over parts of four games including three starts. Cincinnati hopes Flacco can provide stability until Burrow returns. The trade marks a rare intra-division move. It represents the first player trade between the Bengals and Browns since Cleveland returned to the NFL in 1999. The teams met in Week 1 with Flacco at quarterback for the Browns. Cincinnati won that game 17-16.
Browning went 4-3 as a starter when Burrow missed time in 2023. His performance this season has not matched that success. Cincinnati decided veteran experience offered the best chance to stay competitive during Burrow’s absence.
The Bengals play at Green Bay on Sunday. Taylor is expected to name a starting quarterback on Wednesday as the team begins practice for Week 6.
