Browns to Trade Joe Flacco to Quarterback-Needy Bengals

Jake Browning has struggled under center in Cincinnati, and the franchise has now acquired Joe Flacco to replace him in Joe Burrow's absence.

The Bengals have traded for veteran quarterback Joe Flacco. / David Reginek-Imagn Images

The Bengals, amid a tumultuous offensive season in the absence of star quarterback Joe Burrow, have traded for Browns veteran backup Joe Flacco, according to a report from NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero.

The Browns will send Flacco and a sixth-round pick in exchange for a fifth-round pick.

More on Browns QB Room. How Dillon Gabriel Performed in First NFL Start. How Dillon Gabriel Performed in First NFL Start. light

This seems like a perfect fit for Flacco and the Bengals. Cincinnati has struggled offensively the last few weeks with Burrow on the shelf and Jake Browning taking over. In three starts, Browning has completed 64.5% of his throws for 757 yards and six touchdowns to eight interceptions. The team has lost all three of Browning's starts.

Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer weighed in on the move, stressing how it's important for the Bengals to try their best to still be within playoff contention whenever Burrow is able to return:

Here's the thing: Every chance you have to get into the playoffs with someone like Joe Burrow at quarterback is gold. And so if Joe Flacco gives Cincinnati a shot to sneak into a depleted AFC bracket with Burrow back in the saddle, then the price here is steal.

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) October 7, 2025

As for Flacco, he was just benched in Cleveland for rookie Dillon Gabriel. In four starts, Flacco had completed just 58.1% of his throws for 815 yards and two touchdowns to six interceptions. However, the 40-year-old will have much better weapons at his disposal in Cincinnati, as the team looks for an offensive spark to salvage what could otherwise be a lost season without Burrow.

---

More NFL on Sports Illustrated

Next. Browns’ Decision Is About Dillon Gabriel’s Reality, Not Shedeur Sanders’s Perception. Browns’ Decision Is About Dillon Gabriel’s Reality, Not Shedeur Sanders’s Perception. dark

feed