New Veteran QB Surfaces as Potential Backup for Joe Burrow

The Cincinnati Bengals need to invest in a backup quarterback, especially as Joe Flacco prepares to leave town this offseason in free agency.

Joe Burrow has suffered injuries throughout his career and the Bengals have struggled mightily in his absence. Since he was drafted, they're 43-33-1 with Burrow on the field. They're 7-16 in games that he doesn't play.

Jake Browning struggled in Burrow's absence last year, which forced the team to trade for Flacco. There's too much talent on the Bengals offseason to roll over and die when Burrow is out. A decent quarterback would be able to keep the team afloat until Burrow returns.

The perfect option might have just fallen into the Bengals; lap. The Las Vegas Raiders reportedly opted to release quarterback Geno Smith ahead of free agency, barring a last-minute trade according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. He's expected to sign a very team-friendly deal in the coming weeks.

Geno Smith Could Be the Quarterback the Bengals are Looking For

Dec 28, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith (7) looks to throw in the third quarter against the New York Giants at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Let's do a blind comparison to put things into perspective.

Player A has played 49 games over the last four years and has a 27-22 record with a 68.5 percent completion percentage, 12,226 passing yards, 71 passing touchdowns and 35 interceptions.

Player B has played in 49 games, started 45 of them, over the last four years and holds a 30-15 record with a 67.9 percent completion percentage, 11,685 passing yards, 84 passing touchdowns, and 37 interceptions.

Player B is seemingly a bit better than Player A, but the two have played very similar levels of football. Player B is Brock Purdy, while Player A is the aforementioned Smith.

Obviously, this isn't to say that Smith is on the same level as Purdy. But it is to say that Smith has received far too much backlash over the last year for his struggles with the Raiders.

There could be teams that still view him as a starter. They should pass on that idea, but as a backup option for pennies on the dollar, Smith would be a home run pickup for the Bengals. He's still talented enough to operate the Bengals' offense if Burrow were to go down with an injury.

Fans may not like this idea because of the last year of Smith's career, but there's still quite a bit of talent to be had with him on the roster. He's certainly an upgrade over Browning and is someone the Bengals should be interested in signing.

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