Joe Flacco may not help Cincinnati Bengals offense much in 2025 | Pro Football Talk | NFL on NBC

Boom. Tuesday, out of the blue, trade for Joe Flacco, who had been benched by the Browns. And I was told last week, he’s he’s fine. He’s not looking for a trade. He’s not going to agitate. He’s fine. He’s here if they need him. He’ll help the young guys, etc. But the Bengals are desperate and they need somebody who can get the football to Jamar Chase and T. Higgins. And Joe Flacco presumably can do that. And yeah, he may throw a couple of interceptions per game, but you know what? Anything fewer than three is an improvement. So, let’s give it a try with Joe Flacco and see where it goes. Yeah, I mean, that’s where it is. It’s desperate. That’s what it looks like. It’s it’s it’s trying to give one last ditch effort to sell to your locker room that we haven’t given up on the year or sell to your fan base that we haven’t given up on the year totally. We’re gonna try to be competitive. Now, you know, whether that’s really realistic, I don’t know about that. I mean, one, you know, as you just explained, yeah, Jake Browning’s been a turnover machine. We We know that. Okay. Yeah. So, that’s a turnover machine. Um, let me see. Hold on. Let me check the records. Oh, that’s right. Joe Flacco’s been a turnover machine in Cleveland. I mean, the reason we said it was time to start Dylan Gabriel because we went, wait a veteran guy who turns the ball over is doing it. Why not just put the rookie in who has the capabilities of turning the ball and doing it? So, you know, from that aspect, I still go, okay, there’s still some issues here. Let let alone, you know, you’re going to have to learn a new offense. And I know Joe Flacco’s got a a base in almost every offense cuz he’s been around so long and played for so many football teams and all that. And he’s certainly better than Jake Browning and more capable of pushing the ball down the field and making explosive plays. I do agree with that for sure. But how much does this fix everything? I don’t really know. I mean, it’s the worst offense in football. It’s not even close. When you look at their running game, it’s the worst by a significant margin. It’s not like, oh, they’re clustered with a few teams there at the bottom. It’s like, no, there’s like 30, 31 in a wide gap and 32 with the Bengals. Their defense stinks, right? So, yeah, this is a nice thing to sell to your fan base and your locker room a little bit that you’re not giving up, but I’m not sure it really fixes a whole lot there in Cincinnati right now. Mike, I started poking around yesterday, Chris, after the story broke as to whether or not they called the Giants to explore a trade for Russell Wilson or Jameus Winston. So far, I have yet to get anything to suggest they have. The indications are they didn’t. Right. That’s what it sounds like. That’s which is surprising. which is surprising unless they just thought, you know what, we’ll get Flaco cheaper than we’ll get Russell Wilson or Jameus Winston because the Browns by all indications were done with Flaco. They moved on and they’re not going to go back to Flacco. Deshawn Watson could get healthy at some point this year and then they’re going to have to put him on the roster or cut him and they won’t cut him because of the cap consequences that would land next year like 135 million. They’re trying to smooth that out over multiple years. So, and also I think somebody asked me, “Oh, would the would the Browns trade Joe Flacco in the division?” Well, I mean, first of all, the Browns don’t think he’s good enough to play or playing, right? So, okay, yeah, take him. And second of all, we know how driven the Browns are by analytics. Analytics have no have no hesitation to do a trade because it’s a division rival. They got a fifth round pick and they move Flaco and a sixth round pick and so they upgrade their stash of draft picks next year and we know how important that is to the Browns and they did it for a guy that they get off their books. Not that there’s a lot of salary left. It looks like it’s just like just under a million but they save some money. They upgrade their draft pick and they move on from a guy that that they didn’t want anymore anyway. No. No. And yeah, it was a win for them. You’re right. They’re they’re going to see what they got in Dylan Gabriel and if he doesn’t play well or gets injured, they got to see what they want to do with Shador Sanders. So, from all that, that makes sense from Cleveland standpoint. Everything makes sense from Cleveland’s standpoint. Yeah, I know there’s always the talking point of we don’t want to trade in the division. But that’s when two teams are good and they’re competing against each other. When they both stink, you just got to do what you got to do to get to be become better. So, Cleveland’s like, “Okay, yeah, have Joe Flacco. So what? You’re in the division.” We’re not going anywhere this year. and they’re they’re looking at the big picture of things and what they can do with these analytics and these assets moving forward. That’s what they’re doing cuz Cincinnati on the other hand is trying to salvage a lot. They’re trying to salvage I I mean everything as we’ve kind of talked about Monday. We talked about it a little last week. You know, the Joe Burrow thing looked like it was going to be an excuse for everybody, but now it’s come to oh my gosh, are they that bad? Does anybody do anything there other than Burrow, Chase, and T Higgins? Have they been covering that many holes there? And that’s what it looks like right now. And that’s why I think you see the desperate move. And I think you’re right. Like Flaco’s cheaper than Russell Wilson. All right. So, there’s that. Russell Wilson, we know you got to deal with some of the hype and the hoopla. Not everybody wants to deal with that either. And then the other thing that I would argue when I’m sure Cincinnati watched film a little bit, they went, “Wait, we played Pittsburgh last year. Russell doesn’t run a system. It’s just a I hope I make a play here and I hope I make a play there. They they want a system run in Cincinnati. That’s why Burrow is amazing. He runs the system to a tea like he’s a coach like he’s Bill Walsh or Joe Montana. They don’t have anything like that right now. And Russell Wilson’s not going to be that. Joe Flacco has more of an opportunity to be that and also make a few plays down the field because he still has a big arm. So, I think that’s why they are where they are right now. But yeah, I mean, man, this is a tough task for Joe Flacco. Come in the building, learn the offense, they expect him to play this weekend. I mean, that that’s that’s a lot. That really is. And uh I just, you know, they got to play better around him. I know that it’s not about the quarterback right now. They stink everywhere. And even though he plays in the AFC North, he’s going to feel like he plays in the NFC North because he’s going to face the Packers for the second time. Hilarious. Hilarious. And And he beat the Packers. Not that he beat the Packers, but he started the game where the Packers were up 10 nothing late and then somehow lightning strike. Boom. Boom. Mistake by Jordan Love. Browns in position to win the game. And they steal it with a 55 yd field goal from Andre Schmidt. But yeah, Flaco gets another chance. This time he goes to Lambo Field and they want to get him ready. And their approach is so simple. It’s throw it to Jamar Chase and throw it to T. Higgins. And I think you’re right. The exposure of the reality that beyond the big three players on offense, they got nothing, right? And they’re not doing enough to support those guys. And last year, they fired Luan Arumo. He was the scapegoat for the Bengals in 2024 when they had all those losses early and they tried to dig out of the hole and they were hotter than anyone at the end of the season and they just barely missed it. And who knows what they would have done, right, if they had gotten a seat at the playoff table. There had to be a scapegoat then. I continue to believe that Zack Taylor only gets fired if he has no buyout remaining because that is how the Bengals operate. But I feel like he’s at least worried that something could happen because his tune changed so quickly on Jake Browning. And I think he understood somebody must have said something that got him thinking, damn, we got to do something. I know he’s not the GM, but he went from he went from Jake’s our guy. I’m unwavering my support to yeah, we got to look around. And then the next day they get Joe Flag. So, it it tells you they’ve reached a level of desperation. The question is, is it too late? And is the response good enough to make a difference? Hi, it’s Mike Florio. Thanks for watching PFT on YouTube. Hit subscribe for the latest news and analysis from Pro Football

There is reason to doubt that the addition of Joe Flacco will drive major changes in a Bengals offense that is operating at the bottom of the league. #NBCSports #NFL #ProFootballTalk
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Joe Flacco may not help Cincinnati Bengals offense much in 2025 | Pro Football Talk | NFL on NBC
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25 comments

  3. They should have gone and get Winston. That would have been so much fun. Why fire Zach Taylor he is a good coach it's just without a good qb it's hard to win look at the jets and giants. Just look at how good the Colts are this year and both coach and the GM were on the hot seat because they had no QB. Just a good QB can go a long way

    Bengals are just cheap they should have gone and get cousins right when burrow got hurt. That division is really up for grabs

  7. In full transparency, I do not like Zac Taylor as a coach or play caller. The games I've watched his creativity in plays and run game concepts are terrible. Zac have great WRs and QB that covers up his inadequate play callling, in-game adjustments, and overall coaching style.

  9. Bengals wont have the adequate pieces around their stars till next yr or the yr after. Mostly because they slow role rebuilds. The defense will take a yrs or 2 to get to be avg.
    As well as the oline.
    26, 27, 28 maybe…if the stars stay patient and wont want out. As for 2025 they are cooked

  10. Based on his overall demeanor, Flacco did not care one iota about winning football games in Cleveland. Maybe having Jamarr and Tee will change that but I’m not convinced a lot will change.

  11. Joe Flacco will have Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to throw to. Can he survive the offensive line woes of the Bengals is my question. After Jake Browning's performance as starting quarterback I don't blame the Bengals for making the trade for Joe Flacco. The Bengals season is already a mess.

  12. What a joke, Chris Simms has no room to criticize QB play.. As a Bengals fan, I 100% would rather take a chance on Joe Flacco than Browning any day of the week. I still think Mike Brown and the front office should be run out of town, they need to get rid of Zac Taylor, fix the o-line and the defense, and do everything they can to keep Burrow protected in the future, but I support getting Flacco right now.. They didn't give up much, so to me it's worth it..

  13. If Flacco makes $2M in incentives (gets incentives for just being on roster, wins, snap count, playoffs) then Flacco will make more ($6.25M) than Winston has guaranteed for his 2 year deal ($5.25M)

  15. Okay Joe Flacco may be slow but it's like having a coach for Q.B. that has seen every defensive scheme over the years and can still sling it. He'll run the offence well enough to keep us in the weak AFC north. Joe will be a coach someday maybe for the Bengals

  19. I get that Flacco may not help a mightily struggling Bengals team. I have no issue with them giving out their opinions. What bothers me is the enthusiasm they put into their disdain for the franchise. They seem at times to be holding back to contain their glee. It seem they don't just recognize the struggle of the team they relish it. I just wonder what their attitude would be if Flacco did come in and propel the team to success? You can bet it would be well I knew it all along. Everyone would be scrambling for an interview and throwing down accolades like m&ms.

  20. Its better then what we have now in Jake. Jakes throwing 3 INTs a game Flacoo throws 2 thats a upgrade 😂 Tee and Chase now have a QB that can throw them the deep ball

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