The Cincinnati Bengals have been struggling at the quarterback position ever since Joe Burrow went down with a turf toe injury. Jake Browning, who has had success as a backup in the past, has looked awful in Burrow’s place, and after starting 2-0, the Bengals have fallen to 2-3.

With the rest of their season in the balance, the Bengals decided to make a trade. Not for Jameis Winston or Russell Wilson, but for Joe Flacco, their AFC North rivals’ starting quarterback.

This is a big move for multiple reasons. Not only do the Bengals now have a quarterback they believe can keep them afloat until Burrow returns, but it opens the door for the Cleveland Browns to start Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders the rest of the season.

Let’s break down the trade, and why it’s a win for both sides.

Can the Bengals make the playoffs?

It was clear and obvious that if the Bengals sat on their hands and kept starting Browning, things weren’t going to go well. In 3.5 games, Browning threw for 757 yards and six touchdowns, which doesn’t sound that bad until you add the eight interceptions. He was able to help the Bengals win their Week 2 matchup when Burrow left, but he hasn’t won a game since.

The question is, does Flacco really push them over the edge?

Last year, Flacco came in and had a little Ryan Fitzpatrick magic to him. He threw for 1,761 yards, 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions in seven games, and he went 3-4 in games he started. This year, though, he has been much more disappointing.

Flacco started the first four games of the season for the Browns, throwing for 815 yards, two touchdowns and six interceptions. Part of that is because he had one of the worst supporting casts in the league, and now that he’s with the bengals, he has one of the best.

Zac Taylor and the rest of the Bengals staff obviously believe that Flacco has enough juice left in him to keep them afloat until Burrow comes back late in the season. With receivers like Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, and a running game that features Chase Brown, who’s also a big receiving threat out of the backfield, could we see some more Flacco magic this season?

The biggest reservation I have is with the offensive line. Burrow and Browning have been sacked 14 times in five games and have been pressured on 41.4 percent of their drop backs, per PFF. Both of those guys are MUCH more mobile than Flacco. If they had trouble evading the rush, imagine how much trouble Flacco is going to have.

If he is given any sort of time to throw – and I think Taylor is smart enough to dial up a bunch of quick throws – then Flacco should be able to have success. Chase and Higgins are the best 1-2 punch in the NFL, so if Flacco can’t get them the ball, then he might officially be done in the NFL.

Another question is, will Flacco start this week? He will have just a few days to learn the Bengals playbook if he wants to start on Sunday, but it might be a risk worth taking. Browning has shown no signs of playing winning football, and when you’re 2-3, every game matters. Falling to 2-4 would be catastrophic for their playoff hopes, so they need to make the right decision, and it won’t be an easy one.

I think this move gives the Bengals a better chance to make the playoffs, but I also believe there were better options out there. Winston or Wilson would’ve been the best, but who knows what the New York Giants were asking. Kirk Cousins would’ve been another better option, but again, we don’t know what the Atlanta Falcons wanted for him.

Overall, this was the right move. When you have someone like Joe Burrow, you need to take every opportunity you have to make the playoffs. They can’t afford to waste seasons with him under center, so this was a move to hopefully keep them in contention in a weak AFC.

What it means for Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel

The Browns are now all in on their two rookie quarterbacks. Dillon Gabriel earned his first NFL start this past weekend, and obviously he did enough to make the Browns feel safe trading Flacco away.

Against a very opportunistic and aggressive Brian Flores defense, Gabriel threw for 190 yards and two touchdowns without turning the ball over a single time. He gave the Browns a very good chance to win that game, and it appears he’ll continue to get more opportunities moving forward.

But what about Shedeur Sanders?

The NFL world is (not so) patiently awaiting his first NFL start, and odds are it’s coming sooner than later. If Gabriel starts to struggle or get injured, guess who the next man up is? Shedeur Sanders. The only other quarterback the Browns have healthy is Bailey Zappe, who is on their practice squad.

There’s also Deshaun Watson, who is still on the PUP list. The Browns haven’t opened his practice window yet, but Kevin Stefanski did say he’s making good progress earlier this week.

Even when the Browns get Watson back, I doubt he’ll start. They’re just waiting to get rid of him and his contract. They’re looking to the future now, and that’s with Gabriel and Sanders.

It will be really interesting to see how the Browns handle the QB situation moving forward. Does Gabriel start the rest of the year? If he’s playing well, I think he should, but if he starts to struggle, do they give Sanders a chance?

Personally, I hope we get to see them both this year. They spent premium capital on both guys, and I think they’d be doing themselves a disservice by not seeing what they have in both guys.

I think this was also the right move for the Browns, and it signals the team is firmly looking towards the future. No more Joe Flacco or Deshaun Watson (hopefully). It’s time to see what they have in their two rookies, and if they need to, they can draft another one next year.

Tim’s Fantasy Take On This Move

First of all, let’s get the GOAT in the mix. Matthew Berry sent this out from the car.

For the Browns: Make sure you get Shedeur Sanders ASAP if you have a roster spot available to you. This is a clear statement that the Browns are going with the rookies.

And if Gabriel is available, get him ASAP. Worth a bigger bet now, like 30 percent of your FAAB.

For the Bengals: Jake Browning will likely start against the Packers. This move does not instantly mean Flacco is the guy. It means the Bengals are done waiting for Browning to step up. He has a one-week window now. Step up against the Packers or it’s Flacco against the Steelers in Week 7.

This means don’t punt on Chase Brown, Ja’Maar Chase or Tee Higgins. They will have more immediate value with Flacco in the mix.

Now, if that means you can sell that thought to your league owners in terms of getting a max trade offer on any of those three, do it. DO IT NOW. – Tim Wood