The Cincinnati Bengals acquired veteran quarterback Joe Flacco from the Cleveland Browns on Tuesday, two days after Bengals coach Zac Taylor was noncommittal on Jake Browning’s status as the starting quarterback. The Bengals have been seeking long-term help under center since Joe Burrow suffered a toe injury in Week 2.
But is Flacco the answer to helping Cincinnati snap a three-game losing streak and keep its playoff hopes alive?
The Browns had brought Flacco back this past offseason to provide veteran leadership to a crowded quarterbacks room that also included rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. The 18-year veteran started Cleveland’s first four games — going 1-3 — before being replaced by Gabriel in Sunday’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
It was a surprising trade considering it was the first between the teams since the Browns returned to the NFL in 1999. And it was the first intradivision, in-season trade involving a quarterback since 1990, according to ESPN Research.
ESPN Bengals reporter Ben Baby, Browns reporter Daniel Oyefusi, national football insider Jeremy Fowler and fantasy analyst Eric Moody break down whether Flacco can keep the Bengals in contention until Burrow returns, what it means for the Browns’ QB room, fantasy implications and more.
Can Flacco keep the Bengals afloat until Joe Burrow returns?
Baby: That’s the hope, right? But for that to happen, Flacco has to be better than he was earlier this season in Cleveland. Flacco notably threw two interceptions in a 17-16 loss against the Bengals in the season opener Sept. 7, including one late in the game as the Browns tried to mount a dramatic comeback.
On paper, Flacco makes sense. He is a seasoned veteran who can immediately run a version of Taylor’s offense. But he also presents many of the same problems that plagued Browning.
Browning is second in the NFL with eight interceptions. Flacco is third with six. In Total QBR, Browning is ranked higher than Flacco, who is next-to-last in the league in that category (27.6).
Even though Flacco is a splashy name who has played well as recently as 2023, when he was the Comeback Player of the Year with Cleveland, the Bengals will need the best version of the 40-year-old quarterback if they want to win enough games to steady their season before Burrow is available to return. Cincinnati still has not established a timetable for Burrow’s return. Sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that Burrow is expected to miss at least three months. However, Taylor has yet to rule Burrow out for the remainder of the season.
How does this move impact Gabriel, Sanders and the Browns’ outlook on their two first-round draft picks in 2026?
Oyefusi: The Browns moved to Gabriel as their starting QB last week, and the remainder of the season seemingly serves as an audition for not only him but also Sanders, who has been the No. 3 and emergency QB since Week 1.
Browns owner Jimmy Haslam said at the beginning of training camp in late July that it’s “absolutely” important for the team to evaluate both rookies on the field before the 2026 NFL draft, when the Browns possess their own first-round pick and the Jacksonville Jaguars’ first-rounder.
“[Head coach Kevin Stefanski] is aware of that; he knows how important quarterback is; and he and [general manager Andrew Berry] talk about those kinds of things all the time,” Haslam said. “It’s a daily, ongoing conversation.”
Trading Flacco opens the door for Sanders to be the team’s backup, but Cleveland also has Bailey Zappe signed to the practice squad. The Browns listed Sanders as their No. 2 quarterback on Tuesday’s unofficial depth chart for their upcoming game at the Pittsburgh Steelers.
QB Deshaun Watson remains on the physically unable to perform list as he continues to rehab an Achilles injury that the team expects to sideline him for a significant portion of the 2025 season.
What’s the fantasy impact for Flacco and the Bengals’ WRs?
Moody: Flacco started Cleveland’s first four games this season but hit double-digit fantasy points only once, completing 58.1% of his passes. The Browns’ decision to move on from the veteran reflects their confidence in Gabriel, who made his NFL debut overseas against a tough defense and scored 16.1 fantasy points. With Flacco gone, Gabriel will see more reps, accelerating his development, while Sanders could move into the backup QB role. In deeper superflex formats, Gabriel is best viewed as a QB3.
For the Bengals, Flacco’s arrival is a curious move. In EPA per dropback, he ranks second worst among 33 qualified QBs, only slightly better than Browning (EPA, or expected points added, measures how much a play changes a team’s chances of scoring). With 18 years of experience, he could stabilize Cincinnati’s offense and slightly boost the fantasy floors for Ja’Marr Chase, a low-end WR1, and Tee Higgins, a low-end flex, until Burrow returns.
What does it mean for the AFC North?
Fowler: The division hasn’t felt this wide open in a while, which is probably why the Bengals broke character by making the rare trade between AFC North rivals. They feel they can still win it. Baltimore is broken at 1-4, and while the Steelers have emerged as the early favorite, they must prove they won’t wear down late in the year like they did in 2024.
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Cincinnati might be flawed, but it has the best skill-player set in the division. Flacco will give Chase and Higgins more predictability on their routes, and he’s not afraid to attempt difficult throws. The defense and the offensive line still have issues, but the Bengals are built to win shootouts and Flacco gives them the best chance at that.
Cleveland is now Gabriel’s team. The Browns are all-in on his development and actually have enough talent to string together wins. They should probably be 3-2 right now.
