The Bengals narrowed down their list to five QBs before choosing Joe Flacco.
Bengals’ 13-QB list before Joe Flacco trade included Kirk Cousins, Russell Wilson and Derek Carr originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Joe Flacco is set to make his second start for the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday Night Football against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 7. But how the 40-year-old even got into this position is astonishing.
Flacco, who was traded from the Cleveland Browns just days before the Bengals’ Week 6 matchup against the Green Bay Packers, made his first start in that game. Typically, trading within the division — especially for a starting quarterback — is unusual, to say the least.
It definitely threw Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin off guard.
“To be honest, it was shocking to me,” Tomlin said. “[Browns GM] Andrew Berry must be a lot smarter than me or us because it doesn’t make sense to me to trade a quarterback that you think enough of to make your opening-day starter to a division opponent that’s hurting in that area. But that’s just my personal feelings.”
Nevertheless, Flacco is in Cincinnati now, but he was only one of many quarterbacks on the Bengals’ radar, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.
“After being blown out at home by the Lions in Week 5, Taylor and his offensive coaches sat down to discuss a bucket of quarterbacks that could be upgrades—guys who were good No. 2s behind strong No. 1s, No. 3s with some experience, or young guys with promise,” Breer wrote. “On the list, culled by Duke Tobin and the personnel department, were Stetson Bennett, Derek Carr, Kirk Cousins, Tommy DeVito, Flacco, Jimmy Garoppolo, Josh Johnson, Drew Lock, Tanner McKee, Davis Mills, Anthony Richardson, Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston.”
There aren’t many surprises on that list, including Atlanta Falcons backup Kirk Cousins, who has been a constant topic of trade discussions after Michael Penix Jr. took over late last season. But the Falcons’ price tag for him — mainly negotiating his $97.5 million remaining on his contract — was likely too high.
Breer said the Bengals’ coaches eventually narrowed their list of 13 quarterbacks down to five, with the goal of finding the best player who could keep them in the AFC playoff race until Joe Burrow returned.
“He was affordable, yes. But it was more than that — his ability in the dropback game would allow the staff to run the closest thing to a Burrow offense, which in turn would maximize the talent on hand,” Breer added. “All that AFC North experience was a factor, too, with the Bengals still having five division games left.”
Flacco’s first game in a Bengals uniform didn’t go well, resulting in a 27-18 loss to the Packers. Now, it’s on to division play against the Steelers — a team the veteran has gone 11-11 against all time.
Category: Football
