For whatever reason, Jake Browning’s ability to read a defense seems to have disappeared without a trace. So what do the Cincinnati Bengals do now?
Kirk Cousins makes a lot of sense. He has had success with multiple teams, has the leadership qualities that this team desperately needs, and recently starred in a Netflix series with Joe Burrow. You like this? I like this.
The big problem with Cousins is the money, but that may also be the advantage. The Falcons might be willing to give him up for peanuts just to get him off their books.
This list is topped with Jameis Winston, but while the former first overall pick has a cannon, he also has a penchant for throwing interceptions. Turnovers are a big part of why the Bengals find themselves in their current predicament, so acquiring Winston doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.
Winston’s New York Giants teammate, Russell Wilson, could be a better option, but the Super Bowl Champion thrives with play action, and that might not be a great fit. Of course, that may just force the Bengals to use more play action, so maybe this could be a good fit after all.
The notable advantage of Wilson or Winston is that there are two of them. The Giants may be willing to give one up since they only need one backup to Jaxson Dart.
There might be something to say for bringing in a rookie with a lot to prove, like Shedeur Sanders. He chucked the ball around in college. In his final season at Colorado, he threw for 4,134 yards and 37 touchdowns while completing 74 percent of his passes. He is bound to make rookie mistakes, but maybe he could bring some explosiveness into this offense as well.
Of course, for a Sanders trade to go through, the Browns would need actually to send the fax.
Bengals Connections
As long as we are on rookies, let’s talk about Riley Leonard. He is coming off an excellent season at Notre Dame, where he threw for 2,831 yards and 21 touchdowns with only eight interceptions.
The Bengals subscribe to their own version of “if you can’t beat them, join them,” where they sign players who play well against them. Leonard was 15 of 20 for 189 yards with one touchdown pass and another touchdown run when the Colts saw the Bengals in the preseason.
Posts about how this team or that team “could do the funniest thing ever” have become pretty cliché, but the Bengals really could do the funniest thing ever by trading for the red rifle Andy Dalton. It also has the potential to be one of the best stories ever, not to mention an incredibly unexpected late-career arc pushing Dalton into a new echelon of team greatness.
Con: Dalton was known for choking in primetime and big games.
Pro: Dalton has experience “feeding the beast” and winning games by getting the ball to A.J. Green.
Could the answer be the return of Minshew Mania? Gardner Minshew is coming off his worst career season, but maybe he has a little of that old magic left in him. The Bengals need a spark to get the offense going, and he could be it. However, he is currently a Kansas City Chief, and they are unlikely to make a move that could make the Bengals a contender while they await Burrow’s return.
He may be 36, but Tyrod Taylor is still out there competing. He has completed 70 percent of his passes while throwing three touchdowns and only one interception for the Jets this year. His experience and dependability could be extremely valuable to the Bengals over the next couple of months.
Tommy DeVito was a pretty solid player in his starts for the New York Giants, going 3-3 in 2023, while throwing for 1,101 yards, eight touchdowns, and only three picks. Last year, he was 0-2 with no touchdowns or interceptions, but he completed 70 percent of his passes. DeVito is number three on the Patriots depth chart, which makes him an easier get than most of the players we have discussed.
Drew Lock may be number two in Seattle, but with promising rookie Jalen Milroe waiting in the wings, the Seahawks may be willing to part with him. Lock has some skills, but has never found sustained success in the NFL. Still, he is a good schematic fit for the Bengals, who would definitely be worth a shot with the current state of things.
My Top 10 Options
- Kirk Cousins
- Russell Wilson
- Tyrod Taylor
- Shedeur Sanders
- Andy Dalton
- Tommy DeVito
- Jameis Winston
- Gardner Minshew
- Drew Lock
- Riley Leonard
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