The Cincinnati Bengals have not had the start to their season that they had hoped. At the start of the year, they had hopes of contending in the AFC, but an injury to star quarterback Joe Burrow hurt them significantly. After winning their first two games of the year, including a 31-27 win over the now 4-1 Jaguars in Week 2, the Bengals have lost three straight games, all in dominant fashion.
Without Burrow, the Bengals have looked like one of the worst teams in the league. As a result, if they wanted to stay competitive before Burrow returns near the end of the season, they needed to make a trade. That is what happened on Tuesday as the Bengals acquired Joe Flacco and a 2026 6th-round pick from the Cleveland Browns in exchange for a 2026 5th-round pick.
terms of the deal pic.twitter.com/GHXtmsCMFd
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) October 7, 2025
Flacco is a veteran quarterback who won a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens in 2012 and has been in the league since 2008. There is a belief that he can step in and perform better than Jake Browning for the Bengals. However, many fans are concerned that, at 40 years old, he will not be able to handle the offense behind the Bengals’ weak offensive line. After the trade on Tuesday, head coach Zac Taylor set clear expectations for Flacco.
“Joe is an experienced quarterback with a history of winning. He is a leader with a skill set that will fit our personnel well,” Zac Taylor said. ” He is a gifted passer with a strong arm, and we are excited to have him on our team.”
Joe is a gifted passer with a strong arm, and we are excited to have him on our team. pic.twitter.com/1DKoxVPQhK
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) October 7, 2025
Joe Flacco’s First Test With the Cincinnati Bengals Will Be Against the Green Bay Packers
Fans will not need to wait long to see how Joe Flacco performs as a member of the Cincinnati Bengals. They play the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, and the belief is that Flacco will start for the Bengals in the game.
After their game against the Packers, the Bengals have a quick turnaround, playing in Thursday Night Football the following week against the Pittsburgh Steelers. So, Flacco will need to be ready for a heavy workload early on if this trade is going to be a success.
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