We saw it coming—a rookie taking over the Cleveland Browns in the initial phase of the season. It surely happened in Week 5 with Dillon Gabriel taking the reins from Joe Flacco. But to add another interesting layer to the quarterback drama in Berea, the Browns have decided to trade Flacco (plus a sixth-round pick) to their division rivals, the Cincinnati Bengals, in exchange for a 5th round pick.

In a what-if world, maybe this move never happened if Joe Burrow hadn’t gone down with that turf toe. But here we are. The wild part? For weeks now, it’s been no secret that Cincinnati was reportedly in the market for a quarterback. And somehow, the name that kept floating to the top of the rumor mill was none other than the New York Giants‘ own Russell Wilson.

But fast forward to now, and given that the Bengals have traded for Flacco, Dianna Russini of The Athletic added another layer to it.

“The Bengals internally discussed different options at QB,” Russini wrote on her ‘X’ handle. “I’m told the team never called the Giants about trading for either Russell Wilson or Jameis Winston before making a move for veteran Joe Flacco.”

Many believed that the Bengals would trade for Wilson, given that he’s been benched for Jaxson Dart after dropping the first three. Wilson completed just 17 of 37 passes for 168 yards, resulting in a completion rate under 46%. The Giants crossed midfield several times but failed to find the end zone, settling for a pair of field goals.

Of course, Week 2 saw a notable improvement as Wilson threw for 450 yards, completing 30 of 41 passes with 3 touchdowns and 1 interception in a 40-37 overtime loss to the Dallas Cowboys. But that optimism was short-lived.

In a 22-9 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, the 36-year-old completed 18 of 32 passes for 160 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions. Fast forward to Week 4, Brian Daboll named Dart the starting quarterback. And just like that, the rumor mill suggested Wilson as a top contender for the Bengals. But Russini reported that Cincy had no interest in Wilson. And they eventually settled on Flacco.

The Bengals had a quarterback need, given that they’ve dropped their three straight games after Burrow’s injury. Jake Browning indeed put up a good outing in Week 2 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he completed 21-of-32 passes for 241 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions, leading Cincy to a 31-27 win.

But the next three weeks? Atrocious. Across four total games, he’s been struggling mightily. The backup quarterback had 757 Yards, 6 Touchdowns, 8 Interceptions, and a 35.3 QBR in the last four weeks. The Bengals are 2-3, and Burrow isn’t expected to return till mid-December.

The signs were clear: The Bengals lacked confidence in Browning. And fast forward, Zac Taylor and his crew are now betting on the 40-year-old Flacco.

Brian Daboll doesn’t want to work with any other young QB

After replacing Russell Wilson as the Giants’ starting quarterback in Week 4, Jaxson Dart notched his first NFL win, which also happened to be the team’s first victory of the season. But things went south in Week 5 against the New Orleans Saints. Dart had three of the total five turnovers as the Giants lost 26-14 on Sunday.

However, when Daboll was asked about his QB’s poor outing, the head coach admitted that he’s committed to his young QB.

“I think they all respect Jaxson,” Daboll said. “You know, first talents one and how he’s a pretty humble guy. They see how he works. They know he’s a rookie. Again, there’s gonna be ups and downs, and there’s no young quarterback I’d rather have to work with than Jaxson.”

Dart completed 26-of-40 for 202 yards with 2 touchdown passes and 2 interceptions. However, his three turnovers grabbed the spotlight for all the very bad reasons. The 22-year-old first fumbled in the third quarter after losing control of the ball.

Then, in the fourth quarter, he threw a couple of interceptions. Both were picked by the Saints’ cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry, giving New Orleans excellent opportunities to gain momentum and secure its first win of the season. However, Daboll believes in his rookie, and he’s now expected to bounce back in Week 6.