Bengals Reportedly Showing Slight Interest In Quarterback Addition as Jake Browning Struggles

CINCINNATI — The Bengals had another lifeless performance behind Jake Browning on Monday night as people around the NFL start to wonder if they will make a move at quarterback. NBC Sports insider Mike Florio brought up a potential QB addition on Tuesday, while noting there's "stray chatter" Cincinnati is interested in Russell Wilson for a fifth-round pick.

He thinks the Bengals should go after Jameis Winston or Wilson in a trade with the Giants.

"The Giants currently have a pair of veteran quarterbacks who aren’t playing: Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston," Florio detailed in his column. "Both played for AFC North teams in 2024. With rookie Jaxson Dart leading the Giants to an upset of the Chargers on Sunday, one of them is expendable. Wilson has $1.55 million in remaining base salary after four weeks. Winston has $1.51 million. (Wilson’s incentive package includes $176,000 for each win in which he takes at least 50% of the snaps). Last week, there was a stray chatter of Wilson to the Bengals for a fifth-round pick. And while a deal for Wilson or Winston is possible, the current dynamic could be that neither side wants to make the first move. In a high-tech world, it’s the lowest of low-tech negotiation tactics. Don’t make the first move.

"The general thinking is that whoever picks up the phone first surrenders leverage. Whatever the Giants would have wanted a week ago for either player, they’ll be inclined to want more from the Bengals if Cincinnati were to call today, given last night’s outcome. Whatever the Bengals would have offered a week ago, they’ll be inclined to nudge it lower, given that Dart’s performance highlights the fact that the Giants don’t need both veterans. The trade deadline arrives five weeks from today. If the Bengals wait until the clock approaches midnight, the cause could be lost — especially since they face the Lions, Packers, and Steelers in the next three games."

The Bengals have not performed like a team that can succeed with those two quarterbacks for much of this opening month in the season, but not many other options remain offensively.

It's hard to win with the environment surrounding Browning, and it's even harder when he doesn't play well at the same time (27.8 ESPN QBR against Broncos, 24.7 against Vikings). He's missed open plays as much as anyone on the team. He's tossed three touchdown passes and five interceptions with a a passer rating of 67.9 so far this season.

Zac Taylor could relinquish play-calling in an effort to focus on other parts of the squad, but the talent is what it is across the whole roster right now. Giving up draft capital to maybe upgrade the quarterback position marginally is a decision the front office has to weigh, facing a 2-2 record with no projected wins the rest of the season on ESPN's Matchup Predictor.

That metric slots Cincinnati 31st overall in the NFL, only ahead of the Tennessee Titans. Things change quickly in the NFL, for better and worse.

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