The Cincinnati Bengals just executed one of the most desperate and surprising moves of the NFL season, benching their current substitute quarterback, Jake Browning, for veteran Joe Flacco. But in the NFL, a week rarely passes without drama, and reports quickly surfaced that Flacco was not the team’s top choice for the trade—a fact that is perhaps unsurprising given Head Coach Zac Taylor’s previous reluctance to make a change.

After suffering a third straight loss and watching their season prospects melt down, the Bengals’ front office went into emergency mode. They spent two days, Sunday and Monday, calling nearly every team that had a spare quarterback on its roster. This frantic, widespread search clearly indicates that Flacco was the final option, not a direct target.

The specific players the Bengals were interested in were reported on X by JPA, quoting ESPN’s Dan Graziano: “QBs Sam Howell and Drew Lock came up in chatter as other options the Bengals were potentially interested in trading for this week, says@DanGrazianoESPN.”  

The post also quotes Dan Graziano’s words, which read: “There was some chatter about Drew Lock in Seattle, Sam Howell in Philadelphia — guys like that. But teams aren’t eager to trade from their QB depth.”

When Joe Burrow was injured, the Bengals initially acted with confidence in backup Jake Browning. However, his poor performance over the last few weeks forced the team to make the trade for Flacco. Head Coach Zac Taylor immediately announced that Flacco would be the starter, playing his first game in Week 6 as the team prepares to face the Green Bay Packers.

What makes this trade highly surprising is Flacco’s age, as he is in his 40s. Additionally, while numerous veteran names were rumored as options for the Bengals, Graziano ended those speculations, noting: “I’m told that neither of the Giants veterans — Russell Wilson or Jameis Winston — were ever real possibilities, nor was Atlanta’s Kirk Cousins.”

Taylor sees Flacco’s strong arm and Super Bowl experience as the only thing that can stabilize the team. Flacco is expected to play with more confidence and hopefully get the ball to the star receivers downfield, a huge problem for Browning.

Jake Browning reacts to being replaced by Joe Flacco before week 6

The Cincinnati Bengals‘ decision to bench quarterback Jake Browning after his 0-3 start clearly hit a nerve, and the quarterback didn’t hide his frustration at being replaced by Joe Flacco when speaking to reporters.

Browning, who is being replaced by 40-year-old veteran Joe Flacco, showed a mix of disappointment and stark self-awareness about his situation.

“If you don’t play well, you’re going to get replaced, and that’s what I’m going through,” Browning admitted honestly.

During the press conference, Browning took responsibility for his mistakes. However, he also made sure to point out that the team’s offensive struggles weren’t just on him. He highlighted that problems often stem from multiple factors, including issues with line protection, play calling, and overall team execution.

Browning’s comments gave us a glimpse that he is deeply frustrated by losing his starting role but understands the cold, hard logic of the NFL: when the offense fails, the quarterback is the first to go. Well, now that the change has already been made, what remains to be seen is how Flacco will execute his game play in week 6.