The Cincinnati Bengals may have a bigger need at quarterback than anyone in the NFL, and the trade chatter is starting to heat up. So yeah, Jake Browning best beware.
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Browning threw three interceptions in Sunday's 37-24 loss to the Lions, continuing what's been a rough stretch since replacing Joe Burrow, who injured his foot in Week 2. Head coach Zac Taylor had expressed "unwavering" confidence in Browning leading up to the game. That confidence is being tested.
On Monday, Taylor cracked the door on a change.
"We'll see where it goes," he told reporters. "Like all personnel decisions, we've got to evaluate it. Jake's been very accountable for how the game went for him. I've got to be accountable for how the game went for me as well. And so we'll continue to progress here through the days."
Per Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic, none of the other quarterbacks currently on the roster — Brett Rypien, Sean Clifford, or Mike White — are viewed as realistic alternatives. If Taylor isn't committed to Browning but won't turn to anyone else internally, the next logical step is a trade.
For the Bengals, names such as Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston, and Kirk Cousins could be worth exploring. Whether those teams would be willing to deal, and at what price, is the bigger question.
Meanwhile, frustration is mounting in the locker room. Ja'Marr Chase caught two late touchdowns Sunday but has shown visible frustration with Browning under center. The Bengals are 2-3 in a weak AFC North, but Browning is 0-3 as a starter and hasn't inspired confidence that he can keep the season afloat.
With Burrow not expected back until December at the earliest, the Bengals' playoff hopes may hinge on finding a veteran solution. And fast.
