COOKE AND JORDAN BATTLE. THAT’S THE NEW BENGALS TANDEM ON THE BACK END NOW UP FRONT ON DEFENSE, THERE WAS ONE MAKE AND AT LEAST ONE MISS FOR CINCY. THIS IS DAY ONE OF FREE AGENCY, SO YOU’RE NOT GOING TO HIT ON EVERYTHING. EVERYBODY’S OVERPAYING AT LEAST A LITTLE BIT. SUPER BOWL CHAMP WITH THE SEAHAWKS PASS RUSHER. BOY A THREE YEAR DEAL. HE’S GOING TO MAKE 20 MILLION PER SEASON. MARK HAYES WAS NOT A STARTER ON SEATTLE’S SUPER BOWL RUN. JUST TWO SACKS. BUT HE PUT UP NINE A COUPLE YEARS AGO. THERE’S A BET BEING MADE HERE THAT AT 28 YEARS OLD, HE IS GOING TO ASCEND INTO A LEGIT STAR. MAYBE JUST LIKE TREY HENDRICKSON. EVERYBODY IS SAYING THAT FIVE YEARS AGO HE DID THAT. HOLD ON A SECOND. HE JUST HAD THE BEST FIVE YEAR RUN IN FRANCHISE HISTORY. SO EASY NOW. THE MOST LUCRATIVE DEALS AGREED TO TODAY FOR FREE AGENT WHO JUST RUINED SUNDAYS FOR QUARTERBACKS. IT’S CAROLINA ESSENTIALLY WRITING A BLANK CHECK FOR FORMER DOLPHIN AND EAGLE JAELAN PHILLIPS. HE’S HAD SERIOUS INJURY ISSUES. THAT IS A RISK. DUFFY AWAY. RISING STAR. NOW HE’S GOING TO BE PAID LIKE ONE. HE WAS WITH THE RAVENS. STARRED FOR THE CHARGERS ON THE BACK HALF OF LAST YEAR. AND THEN RIGHT THERE CINCINNATI WITH THE THIRD BIGGEST CHECK OUT TO A PASS RUSHER. MATT N
Former Bengals backup quarterback Josh Johnson set to return to Cincinnati for 2026 season
Updated: 2:16 PM EDT Mar 14, 2026
Former Bengals backup quarterback Josh Johnson is set to return to Cincinnati after more than a decade of being away from the team.According to the Bengals, Johnson signed a new one-year contract for the 2026 season on Saturday morning.The 39-year-old Johnson previously played for the Bengals during the 2013 and 2015 seasons, backing up former team starting quarterback Andy Dalton. He has also played for over a dozen other teams during his NFL career.Most recently, Johnson played for the Washington Commanders last season and went 1-2 over the team’s final three games of the season that he played in. This came after the Commanders’ starting quarterback, Jayden Daniels, suffered an elbow injury late in the season that required him to be benched.Johnson, a native of Oakland, California, previously played football at the University of San Diego, before being drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2008.The Bengals had been on the hunt for new talent to bolster their backup quarterback roster after Jake Browning recently signed a new one-year deal with the Buccaneers this week. Additionally, Joe Flacco reportedly continues to search for a starting role across the NFL, but has indicated that he is open to resigning with the Bengals for 2026 if no such opportunity presents itself.This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
CINCINNATI —
Former Bengals backup quarterback Josh Johnson is set to return to Cincinnati after more than a decade of being away from the team.
According to the Bengals, Johnson signed a new one-year contract for the 2026 season on Saturday morning.
The 39-year-old Johnson previously played for the Bengals during the 2013 and 2015 seasons, backing up former team starting quarterback Andy Dalton. He has also played for over a dozen other teams during his NFL career.
Most recently, Johnson played for the Washington Commanders last season and went 1-2 over the team’s final three games of the season that he played in. This came after the Commanders’ starting quarterback, Jayden Daniels, suffered an elbow injury late in the season that required him to be benched.
Johnson, a native of Oakland, California, previously played football at the University of San Diego, before being drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2008.
The Bengals had been on the hunt for new talent to bolster their backup quarterback roster after Jake Browning recently signed a new one-year deal with the Buccaneers this week. Additionally, Joe Flacco reportedly continues to search for a starting role across the NFL, but has indicated that he is open to resigning with the Bengals for 2026 if no such opportunity presents itself.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.