Bengals acquire Joe Flacco from Browns amid QB struggles

The Cincinnati Bengals have finally seen enough of Jake Browning as their starting quarterback.

The Bengals acquired Joe Flacco in a trade with the Cleveland Browns on Tuesday, according to multiple reports. Cleveland will send Flacco and a sixth-round draft pick to Cincinnati in exchange for a fifth-round pick.

The Browns benched Flacco in favor of rookie Dillon Gabriel for the team’s Week 5 game against the Minnesota Vikings. Head coach Kevin Stefanski decided to make the switch after Flacco went 16-of-34 for 184 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions in Cleveland’s 34-10 Week 4 loss to the Detroit Lions. Flacco has just two touchdown passes compared to six interceptions on the season, and threw for fewer than 200 yards in three of his four starts with the Browns.

Despite Flacco’s struggles, most fans will agree that he is an upgrade over Browning.

Browning is 0-3 as a starter with the Bengals after taking over for Joe Burrow, who suffered a foot injury in Week 2. The 29-year-old threw three interceptions in Cincinnati’s 37-24 Week 5 loss to the Detroit Lions on Sunday. In his two starts before that, Browning had 265 combined passing yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.

Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said heading into Week 5 that he had “unwavering” confidence in Browning, but Taylor’s tune changed following the loss to Detroit. The pressure from fans had begun to mount in Cincinnati, and some of the team’s star players had become visibly frustrated as well.

The Bengals are 2-3 but still very much alive in what has been a surprisingly weak AFC North division. Burrow has a slight chance of returning later in the season, and Cincinnati is hoping Flacco can help keep the team in playoff contention until then.