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In an offseason that was littered with defensive free-agent additions, the Cincinnati Bengals’ decision to bring back backup quarterback and veteran Joe Flacco has gone under the radar, according to James Rapien of The First Word.
The poise Flacco showed last season after taking over for the injured Joe Burrow shortly after being traded to Cincinnati pushed the Bengals to re-sign him for the 2026 season. They could have easily treated Flacco as a stopgap backup in 2025 and moved on, looking for a younger player to take over that role. However, Rapien thinks that, given how much pressure the Bengals could be under this season if anything were to prevent Burrow from playing, Flacco would be one of the best possible options to handle the situation.
Flacco completed 60.3% of his passes for 2,479 yards with a 15-10 touchdown-to-interception ratio in 2025 for both the Browns and the Bengals. For Cincinnati, he threw 13 touchdowns and four interceptions while leading the Bengals to a 1-5 record as the starter.
One of his best games was Cincinnati’s 33-31 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night. The Bengals then won back-to-back games against the Miami Dolphins and the Arizona Cardinals, with Burrow starting both.
Flacco will be featured on Netflix’s Quarterback documentary, which Rapien said he is looking forward to watching for a possible look at how Flacco managed last season, additional insight into Joe Burrow, and behind-the-scenes footage from multiple crucial games, including the Bengals’ 39-38 loss to the New York Jets that dropped Cincinnati to 3-5 instead of 4-4, changing the outlook of the season. Cincinnati lost three straight games following that loss to New York.
Many of the Bengals’ moves have appeared to center around bringing in talent and leadership. Dexter Lawrence and Bryan Cook have been lauded for their leadership and the impact they have had on the locker room during their short time with the team.
While Flacco isn’t the most talented player on Cincinnati’s offense, he may be the best veteran presence at the quarterback position in the NFL, and Cincinnati’s front office saw value in keeping that stability on the roster heading into the 2026 season.
If Burrow were to miss time, the outlook for the Bengals’ season would take a dive. However, Flacco may be better equipped to manage the situation because he would not have to deal with a midseason trade and would already have been integrated into the roster for nearly a full year.
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The poise Flacco showed last season after taking over for the injured Joe Burrow shortly after being traded to Cincinnati pushed the Bengals to re-sign him for the 2026 season. They could have easily treated Flacco as a stopgap backup in 2025 and moved on, looking for a younger player to take over that role. However, Rapien thinks that, given how much pressure the Bengals could be under this season if anything were to prevent Burrow from playing, Flacco would be one of the best possible options to handle the situation.
Flacco completed 60.3% of his passes for 2,479 yards with a 15-10 touchdown-to-interception ratio in 2025 for both the Browns and the Bengals. For Cincinnati, he threw 13 touchdowns and four interceptions while leading the Bengals to a 1-5 record as the starter.
One of his best games was Cincinnati’s 33-31 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night. The Bengals then won back-to-back games against the Miami Dolphins and the Arizona Cardinals, with Burrow starting both.
Flacco will be featured on Netflix’s Quarterback documentary, which Rapien said he is looking forward to watching for a possible look at how Flacco managed last season, additional insight into Joe Burrow, and behind-the-scenes footage from multiple crucial games, including the Bengals’ 39-38 loss to the New York Jets that dropped Cincinnati to 3-5 instead of 4-4, changing the outlook of the season. Cincinnati lost three straight games following that loss to New York.
Many of the Bengals’ moves have appeared to center around bringing in talent and leadership. Dexter Lawrence and Bryan Cook have been lauded for their leadership and the impact they have had on the locker room during their short time with the team.
While Flacco isn’t the most talented player on Cincinnati’s offense, he may be the best veteran presence at the quarterback position in the NFL, and Cincinnati’s front office saw value in keeping that stability on the roster heading into the 2026 season.
If Burrow were to miss time, the outlook for the Bengals’ season would take a dive. However, Flacco may be better equipped to manage the situation because he would not have to deal with a midseason trade and would already have been integrated into the roster for nearly a full year.
Continue reading...
