After a disappointing start to their season, the Cincinnati Bengals have made a sneaky trade that could keep their season afloat. Plagued by an injury to their superstar QB Joe Burrow, something needed to happen. The Bengals traded with the Cleveland Browns for veteran Joe Flacco to potentially keep their ship afloat. Will this move save their season? Let’s dive into it.
How Did We Get Here?
Heading into this season, it was all about Joe Burrow and their offense. With Cincy missing the playoffs last year by one game, they looked to get off to a faster start than in years prior. A gutty 17-16 win over the Cleveland Browns, signified the first time that the Bengals had started 1-0 since 2021. In Week 2, the hearts of Cincinnati’s fans would drop. Burrow would leave the game with what would later be diagnosed as a Grade 3 Turf Toe injury. That injury will keep him sidelined for at least three months.
With Burrow out, they turned to Jake Browning. Browning had been solid as a backup when Burrow missed time in years past. This is no disrespect to him, but at the end of the day, he’s Jake Browning. The drop-off was dreadful. Since stepping in against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Browning has six passing touchdowns and eight interceptions. In an attempt to save their season, the Bengals traded for 18-year veteran Joe Flacco.
Bengals Trade for Joe Flacco
In terms of the trade itself, they didn’t give up much. The teams swapped Day 3 draft picks, with a fifth-round pick going to Cleveland and a sixth-round pick and Flacco heading to the Bengals. Joe Flacco has been a solid starter in the latter part of his career. His “gunslinger” mentality had been detrimental this season, as evidenced by his two touchdowns and six interceptions. What will his impact be with the Bengals?
Flacco’s Impact & Expectations
His impact will be immediate. The ability to walk onto the field with weapons galore will be a sigh of relief for Flacco. From a WR-RB-TE perspective, this is the most talented team he has ever been a part of. With one of the best duos of receivers in the league, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, I wouldn’t be surprised if he has a lot of big games from a stat perspective. However, there is one glaring issue that will stand true no matter who is under center.
Their offensive line is dreadful. It might be the worst offensive line I have ever seen. That is the biggest reason why I was never a believer in this team* for the 2025 season. Their offensive line was poor last season, and they didn’t address it in the offseason. Burrow and Browning have been sacked a combined 14 times in five games. That is unacceptable for a team whose success is predicated on protecting their franchise quarterback.
Week 5 vs. Green Bay Packers
This might be one of the worst weeks to start a new QB. With the Bengals on the road against the Packers today, Flacco and Cincinnati will have time to throw the ball. Green Bay ranks ninth in sacks this season with 11 through the first five weeks.
However, they are coming off a tough outing, allowing 40 points in their tie with the Dallas Cowboys. Lastly, Flacco has already beaten the Packers this season, in Week 3, 13-10, when he was the Browns’ starting QB. Now, the Bengals’ defense holding any team to 10 points would be shocking but imagine Flacco beating Green Bay for the second time in two weeks. That’d be hilarious.
Final Thoughts
I understand wanting to keep the ship afloat until the captain returns; however, it will be in vain. If their pass protection and defense were better, this would be a no-brainer. Trading for a vet QB to maintain the season would be great if they were a serious contender. I never believed in this team due to their offensive line and defense. As previously mentioned, I understand the trade and the upside is there, but the season was lost the second Burrow went down.
As always, thank you so much for checking out my thoughts on the Cincinnati Bengals trading for Joe Flacco! Be sure to check out our other amazing content here at New Leaf News! We hope you’re enjoying your day, and we look forward to seeing you all again soon.
