The wait is nearly over. The Cincinnati Bengals are almost back in town for Training Camp. The last time we saw the Bengals, they finished a game out of the playoffs at 9-8 thanks to another pitiful start to the season. It was too little, too late after winning the final five games of the year, including one over the playoff-bound Denver Broncos. For as frustrated as the Bengals were that the Kansas City Chiefs laid down in Week 18, killing the Bengals’ chances of sneaking in, they only had themselves to blame.
They wasted an MVP season and a Triple Crown thanks to a slow start and an inept defense. 1-4 start and 3-3 within the division (while being swept by the Baltimore Ravens) is not going to cut it. While he wasn’t able to will the Bengals back to the postseason because of deficiencies elsewhere, it all starts at quarterback and Joe Burrow.
Anything short of a Super Bowl will fall short of the lofty expectations that Burrow puts upon himself. Back in May, Burrow remarked, “If I had played even better, we wouldn’t have been in that spot that we were in,” despite coming off one of the best seasons any quarterback ever had. “I just focus on getting better myself, and I feel like everyone in the locker room feels the same way. If I go out there and play better than I did last year, then it doesn’t matter what goes on anywhere else.”
Remember, Burrow led the NFL in completions, attempts, yards, and touchdowns. In addition to those, he set new career bests in completion percentage and just about every other counting stat. Meanwhile, the other side of the ball was bottom 10 in points allowed and total defense. Burrow passed for more than 270 yards seven times last year…the Bengals won twice. He even threw for 421 against the Ravens in Week 10 in a 35-34 barnburner of a loss.
Burrow is one of, if not the best, quarterbacks in the NFL. You can make a compelling case for him, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, and Patrick Mahomes (despite last year’s underwhelming performance). How does he improve on a legendary season?
despite the NFL-worst pass protection…
despite the NFL-most quick pressure faced…
Burrow has produced ELITE passing statistics the last four years
#1 in overall completion rate
#1 in third down completion rate
#2 in accuracy
#2 best passer rating (103.3)
#3 best TD rate…— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) July 2, 2025
For one, the Bengals need to make sure he isn’t forced to carry the team. While he plays best under pressure and “win or go home” moments, the team would do well to make sure it isn’t needed every single week. Burrow only threw nine interceptions, and two came in the beatdown win over the Titans. There is one area he needs to improve: fumbles.
Last year, Burrow fumbled the ball 11 times, trailing only Kirk Cousins and Baker Mayfield (13 each). Thankfully, he only lost five, but his fumble against the Chiefs was returned for a touchdown, giving Kansas City the lead. In the Week 13 loss to the Steelers, Burrow fumbled twice, resulting in a scoop and score and a field goal. Given, in that loss, he also threw a pick-six.
This offense goes as Burrow does. Will he replicate last year’s success? It all depends on how well the guards and the defense are improved. If the defense is still weak, Burrow will have to carry the team, kicking and screaming, again. Anything better than last year would be a weight off his shoulders.
Burrow took 1,132 of the offense’s 1,137 total snaps. Jake Browning took those five and handed it off three times. Last year, thankfully, Browning was just holding the Microsoft Surface and handing out handshakes and “atta boy”s. In a successful season, the number-two quarterback is never called upon. In the Burrow era, it was the first time that he was the only one to attempt a pass. It was also just the third fully healthy season (give or take).
Browning has shown that he can take up the mantle if called upon. The Bengals scraped together a 9-8 season in 2023 thanks to Browning. Including the Week 10 loss with Burrow’s injury, Browning posted a 4-4 record. Two of those losses (Steelers and Chiefs) were by one score, and they were in position to win. In total, he contributed 1,936 yards and 12 touchdowns while completing 70.4% of his passes.
Browning is a very solid backup. While he isn’t quite at the level of Burrow when it comes to post-snap processing, he can quarterback an offense. Plus, with the weapons at his disposal, his job is made significantly easier. If anything ever happens to Burrow, the Bengals can still run their offense through Browning.
There’s a slight possibility that the Bengals carry three quarterbacks. It’s an incredibly slim possibility, but it’s there.
To start, Logan Woodside is back in town. The Bengals drafted Woodside out of Toledo in 2018. He was waived prior to the regular season as the team trimmed the roster only a few months after he was arrested for a DUI. He’s since bounced around the NFL, appearing in games for the Tennessee Titans and Atlanta Falcons. Between those stints, he started for the San Antonio Commanders for the now-defunct AAF. Woodside posted a 5-3 record while passing for 1,385 yards and seven touchdowns.
Battling with him will be rookie UDFA Payton Thorne. He spent his last two seasons with the Auburn Tigers where he threw for 4,468 yards and 37 touchdowns as the starter. Before that, Thorne quarterbacked Michigan State for three seasons and was the starter for two. In his time with the Spartans, he threw for 6,493 yards and 49 touchdowns.
He had a strong redshirt freshman season with 3,232 yards and 27 touchdowns. Thorne provides a little more when it comes to running, with over 1,000 rushing attempts in his collegiate career.
The battle to be the practice squad quarterback is not going to be what most people focus on this training camp. That doesn’t mean it’s not noteworthy. Will the Bengals go with the brand-new face or the guy who’s been around the block?
Even with the uncertainty at QB3, which is not a problem, the Bengals quarterback room is solid with Burrow and Browning.
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