This week saw the announcement of the first trade between Cleveland and Cincinnati since the Browns returned to the NFL in 1999. With Joe Burrow’s injury threatening to derail their season, the Bengals have turned to 40-year-old quarterback Joe Flacco. The trade sees the Bengals exchange a 2026 fifth-round draft pick for Flacco and a 2026 sixth-round draft pick.
Browning Struggles in Burrow’s Absence
After narrowly missing the playoffs in 2024, Cincinnati entered 2025 hoping to build on that 9-8 record and mount a postseason run. Those goals relied heavily on the consistency and reliability of the man under centre – Joe Burrow.
The season began well, with a 17-16 win in Cleveland and a 31-27 success over Jacksonville taking the Bengals to 2-0. However, disaster struck in his first home game of the campaign, with Burrow suffering a severe toe injury to his left foot. Having undergone surgery on 19th September, Burrow is expected to remain on the sidelines for a minimum of three months.
QB Joe Burrow has a left toe injury. His return is questionable. pic.twitter.com/QVb3X5hi4c
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) September 14, 2025
Following Burrow’s injury, Zac Taylor turned to 29-year-old backup Jake Browning. Stepping into the shoes of the 2020 number one pick was never going to be easy – particularly behind a struggling offensive line.
Three games and three defeats later, Browning’s displays could kindly be described as erratic. Completing 80 of 124 attempts, Browning has thrown six touchdowns and eight interceptions for a total of 757 passing yards.
Poor decision-making and off-target throws left the Bengals’ season in danger of spiralling out of control with Browning under centre. At the current rate of decline, any playoff hopes may have been over long before Burrow’s scheduled return in December.
Taylor Turns to Flacco
With few realistic options, the Bengals have called upon an experienced hand to steady the ship and, hopefully, keep the side in contention until Burrow returns.
In Flacco, they get a QB who possesses vast experience under pressure, with playoff wins and valuable locker-room composure. At 40, Flacco has seen and experienced just about every situation that the NFL has to offer.
His veteran presence may help steady an offensive unit seeking leadership and guidance. However, the big question is whether his ageing limbs are still up to the job. This is not the Joe Flacco who led the Baltimore Ravens to the Super Bowl back in 2012.
Flacco showed there was life in the old dog yet as recently as 2023, when he took the Browns to the playoffs and claimed the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award. However, his displays so far in 2025 have offered little encouragement.
Handed the starting role in Cleveland, Flacco completed 58.1 per cent of 160 pass attempts for 815 yards across the first four games, earning an NFL-low passer rating of 60.3. Only Geno Smith and Jake Browning have thrown more interceptions so far this season. Those efforts saw Flacco benched in favour of rookie Dillon Gabriel ahead of the Week 5 loss to the Vikings, taking the beleaguered Browns to a record of 1-4.
Reasons for Hope
Flacco’s age, 2025 form, and the Bengals’ offensive line suggest the incoming quarterback may struggle to turn things around. However, there are reasons to believe he can at least do enough to keep the Bengals in touch.
With so much experience under his belt, Flacco can be expected to cope better with the pressure than Browning, who simply looked lost at times. If he can get to grips with the playbook quickly, he may also find a way to make the most of attacking weapons such as Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Chase Brown.
Perhaps the biggest positive is the overall state of the AFC North. Flacco’s former teams, Baltimore and Cleveland, both sit at 1-4, with point differentials of -36 and -50. Even the 3-1 Steelers have struggled with a point differential of -2 over the first five weeks. Barring an upsurge in form by their divisional rivals, Flacco may not need to pull up any trees to give Burrow a chance of hauling the Bengals into the playoff mix.
A Gamble Worth Taking
By swapping a struggling Browning for the veteran experience of Flacco, the Bengals have at least given themselves a shot at finding the spark to save their season. For the small price of a one-round drop in the draft, it’s easy to see why Cincinnati views this as a chance worth taking.