As far as starting quarterbacks go, the Cincinnati Bengals are in one of the best situations throughout the entire NFL. However, even as great as Joe Burrow is at the position, every team needs capable backups—especially with the Bengals and Burrow enduring a litany of serious injuries over his career.
Team figureheads took to the podium on Tuesday at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, with a number of intriguing tidbits coming from de facto G.M. Duke Tobin and head coach Zac Taylor. The latter spoke on the topic of addressing the depth behind Burrow and it being a priority over the next couple of months.
Back in the 2023 season, Burrow went down in the Week 11 game against the Ravens with a severe wrist injury. Backup Jake Browning emerged as a viable starting option, leading the team to a 4-3 record and throwing 12 touchdowns.
Cincinnati was in the playoff hunt towards the end of that season, so when Burrow went down again in 2025 with a serious toe injury, the prevailing thought was that Browning would once again keep the team afloat until No. 9’s return. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen, as the team’s backup quarterback was benched for veteran Joe Flacco (who arrived via trade).
It goes without saying that Cincinnati will be relying upon Burrow for another spectacular season, but with the injury history and with Browning underwhelming last year, the Bengals will look to either develop a young backup or bring back a veteran. Flacco remains a possibility, but his own great statistical numbers from last year will have teams continuing to be interested in his services—even at 41 years of age.
Mid and late-round players the Bengals could look at in April’s draft include: Carson Beck, Cole Payton, Sawyer Robertson, and others. It’s also possible the Bengals double-dip at the position in both free agency and the draft to have a ready-now veteran (if needed) and another to develop for long-term backup potential.
Regardless, after Tobin noted team aggressiveness in free agency in a few weeks, a backup quarterback is a sneaky need for the Bengals in 2026.
Who would you like to see them bring in this year?
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