The Cincinnati Bengals have traded for Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco.<\/p>\n
The Browns will also send a 2026 sixth-round draft pick to the Bengals and receive a 2026 fifth-round pick in return. The Browns confirmed the trade on Tuesday<\/a>.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n The Bengals make the move as their season has spiraled in the aftermath of a turf toe injury that’s expected to sideline franchise quarterback Joe Burrow for most of the season. Burrow sustained the injury in Week 2.<\/p>\n With backup Jake Browning at quarterback, the Bengals have lost 48-10 to the Vikings, 28-3 to the Broncos and 37-24 to the Lions as an offense projected as one of the league’s best has gone stagnant.<\/p>\n [Yahoo Sports TV is here! Watch live shows and highlights 24\/7<\/a>]<\/p>\n It quickly became apparent that the Bengals could not remain competitive with Browning, and they discussed multiple options at quarterback, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reports<\/a>. They did not call the Giants about trading for Jameis Winston or Russell Wilson, per the report.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Flacco, an 18-season NFL veteran who’s started for most of his career, will presumably take over as Cincinnati’s starting quarterback once he’s acclimated to his new team.<\/p>\n Browns left with 2 rookies on QB depth chart<\/p>\n Flacco rejoined the Browns this season after playing in 2024 for the Colts. On a roster with rookie quarterbacks Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, Flacco was named the starter before the season and started Cleveland’s first four games.<\/p>\n The Browns demoted Flacco in favor of Gabriel after a 1-3 start for a Week 5 game against the Vikings. They’ve now traded Flacco to a division rival in exchange for a late-round pick swap. Per ESPN<\/a>, this is the first trade between the Bengals and Browns since the Browns returned to the NFL in 1999.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Sanders was the No. 3 quarterback on Cleveland’s depth chart. Now he’s the only other active quarterback on Cleveland’s roster<\/a> behind Gabriel. The Browns traded veteran Kenny Pickett to the Las Vegas Raiders in the preseason, and they still have Deshaun Watson, who’s recovering from a second rupture of his Achilles tendon.<\/p>\n Can Bengals compete for AFC North with Flacco?<\/p>\n The question in Cincinnati now becomes: Can Flacco save their season?<\/a> The Bengals were projected to compete for a playoff spot before the season but are now 2-3 after a 2-0 start with Burrow under center.<\/p>\n