Zac Taylor on Joe Flacco Trade, Plans For Bengals’ Starting QB vs. Packers in Week 6

Zac Taylor on Joe Flacco Trade, Plans For Bengals’ Starting QB vs. Packers in Week 6

Uh what do you like about Joe? What does he bring to the table like? Yeah, boy. Played him a lot, watched him a lot. Uh brings great great experience, great leadership. Um his style fits our style of play, too. So excited to get him out there. We’ll start him this week, so he’s going to take all the reps, get ready to go. Um already spent a lot of time meeting with us, getting up to speed, so feel really good about where he’s at. What made you comfortable with being able to trade for him on Tuesday and start him on? You just know him. I mean, I I I don’t know him personally. I’ve only met him once uh before he came here, but um know his game as well. I mean, it’s played against him um I don’t know how many times, a lot of times. And so, very comfortable with his style um concepts. He’s been good at things that fit us that we do. Um a lot of the terminology, there’s a bunch of carryover more so than I would have anticipated. So, feel like we can get him to speak quickly. Al one of the things that Al mentioned was that besides his great arm strength, his ability to spin the ball, he’s seen so much like a lot of different quarterbacks. How much at this point of the season does that help you? Sure. I mean, it’s different than a young quarterback coming in trying to learn a system and understand what a defense is trying to do to challenge you. Uh, not only that, but he’s played Green Bay this year, so he’s already gone through a week of prep. So that’s the nice part is um now the communication and and the weekly rhythm is maybe different unique but uh he’s already prepared for this opponent. So he gets a chance to refresh himself on that while at the same time just learning our system and our terminology and our verbiage and how we operate. Um but also knowing that he’s he’s played now he hasn’t played there this year and so the crowd noise and all that stuff’s different but um at least he’s got some experience playing against them. But yeah so I what was the one time you met him before? Uh the Colts came here last year and practiced with us. Do you have to scale anything back because he’s only going to have a couple of days practice? We have to be mindful that he hasn’t been here at offseason training camp uh the full scope of our system, but we’re doing everything we can to to hit everything we can possibly hit with him. Um so that we got enough to go out there and win a football game. And so that’s that’s our objective is give our offense enough with Joe to be able to go out there and operate and score points and and find a way to win the game. Why specifically were you looking at this and saying, “Hey, we need to to add Joe to the mix here, too.” He’s a great passer. He’s a great passer. And um again, we we’ve got to expand all areas of our offense to be better, to be able to efficient, run the football, protect, all that kind of stuff. Um but the number one trait you’re looking for is a guy that can operate your system and throw the football. And uh Joe’s always been a tremendous passer in this league and um have seen it. And so now we got tremendous weapons that he can he can play around. And so I’m excited to watch him do it. What was the process like that ended up on Flaco as opposed to other options? How did that unfold Monday when y’all got Dude just let me know yesterday that that’s where I was at. So, um, obviously he asked my opinion of Joe and I was excited that if we were able to make it happen, I’m all on board. That would excite me. And so then he just came and said we we got it done. What did yesterday look like? What time did he get here? What were you guys able to do last night to get a head start? Uh, well, we we talked on the phone while he drove. We had somebody drive him uh he and his wife from Cleveland. And so we were able to send him the information to study, talked to him on the phone as he drove down. Um gave him a break, let him then come in the facility and and we got a chance to meet last night and then this morning. It’s about a 5 hour drive. How long was the phone call? I’m not sure how long it was. We just tried to cover all the base base pieces of information. I mean, you like to knock out personnel and formations and motions and the easy stuff and then when you get in here, get the nuts and bolts. So probably talked some run game last night I think on the phone too. Got him to the run game plan and just the easy stuff that he knew and it all sounds familiar and um so he’s he’ll be ready to roll. It goes without saying that it what you know what you said is true. It’s it’s beneficial for a guy to have already faced a team just a couple weeks ago. Why is that so beneficial and or like in what ways is that beneficial? They’ve done seven weeks of seven days of prep already on the team and got out there and played and felt them and understand what their their line feels like, understand, you know, their their the basic coverage structures and some of the things that they tried to do to stress you. So, on top of studying our stuff and watching the tape, usually the quarterback already knows your offense and so he’s just focused on watching the tape of the opponent. Now, at least the the one advantage we do have with with bringing Joe Flacco in here specifically is he’s watched tape for a week. he’s played this game, he’ll still need to do the same thing because they’ve played two games since then. Um, but at the same time, it’s at least there’s in the back of his mind, man, I’ve I’ve played these guys and I have an understanding of of how they try to attack you. Do you feel like trading for for Flaco helps promote some some hope and some confidence for the season as a whole in the locker room? I think everyone’s just seen him been there do that, you know, and and won a Super Bowl and won a lot of games and uh been successful in a lot of different places and and uh so it’s I can’t speak for other people. Um but when you bring a guy in here with that experience and um those skins on the wall, I think is is significant and and can mean something to guys, but they’d have to speak for themselves on that one. And then is there any update on Burrow and his potential to return this season? And are these two things connected though? I I do not have any update on on Burough. Along those lines, is this is this still a move that hopefully y’all can get enough wins to kind of keep it off for as long as possible. If Joe can’t come back, how much of that crumb was the process y’all went through? Yeah, our number one focus is winning every game we can possibly win and go to the playoffs and go deep in the playoffs. That is 100% our focus regardless of who our quarterback is. That is that’s what we’re trying to do. Given Joe’s age and maybe some of the mobility concerns that come with it, how do you as the play caller and the architect of the offense work through some of those challenges? Yeah, I mean I can’t speak for Joe to say that mobility was ever his number one strength. Um, dating back to when I would have coached against him in 2012 and 13. I don’t know that we were ever worried about Joe breaking free for a 15 yard game. So, um, I think his play style has been his play style for a long time and and I’m perfectly fine with that. Um, obviously we got to do a great job around him in the run game and protection and all that kind of stuff, but he understands he understands our concepts already. Um, it’s a lot of things he’s done, some things he’s called the same. So again, we’ll we’ll do what suits his him best ultimately at the end of the week. What are you not comfortable with? There’s some things we’ve called during the week that, you know, we we should put on the shelf, which is never an issue. We got plenty. So we’ll have those conversations the weekends. Is it real to think that he was in the draft one yard? Um, not real. I mean that that stuff doesn’t it doesn’t really I mean there’s been guys that obviously were were before me that I mean Aaron Rogers was before my time so um that that stuff doesn’t I I don’t put too much thought into it anymore. What was his reaction backs have been able to extend their careers for as long as they have? Well, I think really smart guys uh really smart guys that take care of themselves and can still throw. I mean the arm matters. you know, some guys do lose um you know, some of the arm strength as they go on in their career and um he’s one that I I don’t know he’d have to speak for that in terms of what he’s lost, but I I know he’s still got a lot of power in there and a lot of juice and understanding when to throw it and the timing and so I think that those guys um that have that above I mean he definitely is classified as above average arm strength. Same with Aaron. Uh those guys have a chance to to continue to play. What was his reaction? He seemed excited, you know, the first time I talked to him and so I know he was he was notified there obviously with with their people and um but he seemed genuinely excited when I spoke to him on the phone for the first time and when he got in here and ready to go conversations with Jake straightforward and and Jake was great. Jake’s been accountable every step of the way. He’s been understanding every step of the way. Um accepting for any decision we want to make. Obviously, he wants to continue playing and and um he’s going to continue to work hard to help our football team in any way possible. Um but uh he he understands our situation. Is the plan Jake’s the backup and then you got to practice the plan. Yes. Do you have time to uh you uh do you have time to tailor some things to him or do you have to plug him in what you’re doing? We got 24 hours in the day each day and so we’re using every second of it to to create the best plan. Um obviously we we have a great understanding of who he is and what his strengths are. So as we were preparing this plan you know yesterday midday afternoon um okay is it this or that? Well I know he can do that so let’s do that. So there’s an element of it it’s all things that we do. So when our receivers heard everything today is all things that we’ve had in our plan and we’ve done um and we’ll we’ll continue to do things that fit our strength as a team and fit Joe’s strength as well. That’s how it fits you. Yes. Yeah. I mean, that that’s that’s why we like him and that’s why we brought him in cuz he fits what we do and you don’t have to change much now. You just have to get him up to speed with the full scope of of what we have in our arsenals. What’s the most important quality in a guy that would enable him to learn an offense as quickly as he needs to? Well, I think that the mental makeup obviously is critical to be able to focus in on what’s important. Um, I’m trying not to get him bogged down on things that really aren’t important that I can say to him in the headset. I’m I’m trying my best not to take up his brain power and give him information that um at the end of the day he can he can hear once in a headset understand what I’m trying to say. So I’m just kind of picking what what is important, what you want to stress, what you want to put on his plate. Uh he’s done a great job of of taking everything in that we’ve given. How much of a two-way street is that? Like you you know showing him this is what we do as well as him coming back and saying what about this? This is something I’ve tried. that’ll get there at some point. You know, I don’t think he’s there right now. He’s he’s just taking it all in of what we want to do. And I always like that dialogue with the quarterbacks always, you know, that’s that’s um often times it can be a weekly conversation as we get in. A lot of times it’s a Saturday conversation as we tie up the plan. Um so I can get my thoughts in order during Saturday and Sunday morning before I call the game. Locking for him. Uh what are the chances of Lucas Patrick playing this week? You open the return window for him? Yeah, we open the return window. We’ll see where he’s at in practice this week. I won’t make any predictions, but it was time to get him back out there. If he is ever come back, do you want him at right guard or I mean, what are the I’m not going to project. We’ll just we’ll watch him practice and and see where he ends up. How quickly do you make the decision when you find out the trade is happening to Joe’s going to start this week? Is that a conversation with him and do you have to collaborate or Um, that was probably the second sentence I told him. You know, it’s welcome to the club and we’re ready to start you on Sunday. Do you have any comparable experiences at your various stops? Well, um, of bringing a guy in that had to play immediately. No, bringing guys in that you’re trying to teach the offense. I mean, that Mike White, Sean Clifford, you know, last week were in my office on Thursday night, you know, as we’re kind of doing a modified version of this, you know, trying to get them up to speed and um, anything over the past week they had questions on since they got here. So, I mean, as a quarterback coach, yeah, you’re always dealing with guys that you’re signing during the season as practice squad or backups, and it’s always your job as a quarterback coach to get them ready as quickly as possible to do whatever job it is and spend extra time with them. So, um, part of that’s been a little fun for me to be able to to go back to that, you know, and and, um, we got a great staff that does a great job picking up some slack where where maybe I’m pushing some stuff off on other guys so I can just focus on on making sure Joe and I are on the same page as as we get ready for the game plan. You mentioned you talked to him, you said you’re starting, you hang up the phone. What do you do next? What’s your next move after you get a brand new starting quarterback in here? Um, what was my I I don’t know. Yesterday, uh, felt like I said 24 hours in a I think there was 36 hours in yesterday. So, um I don’t recall. I mean, we then kind of take the plan and make sure um there’s nothing quirky in there that um call like we can clean some things up that maybe for a new guy walking in the door, it’s not necessary. And so, just again, nothing that significant in any way, shape, or form in terms of us defeating Green Bay, but just making sure everything sounds smooth. And then, will there be there’ll be anything different about practice today? You know, you have to get these from the receivers? Yeah. We we’ll spend a little more time at the end of practice. A little more time. Not full speed work necessarily, but just voicing some calls. I mean, that that’s always the number one challenge. You look at a script, you look at an install, you say in your head, it all sounds easy. And then to say it out loud can sound differently. The flow, the rhythm of calling a play, is this word part of the protection. Is this a run tag? Is this a route concept? Um, and so just the flow of how the guys in the huddle need to hear it, the cadence. Um those are all things that he’s experienced before playing different teams. Um probably not the week of a game, but um he’s done a great job handling it so far. So we we’ll spend whatever time is needed extra making sure he’s out on the grass. Uh maybe not full speed physical work, but just some some verbal stuff, making sure we feel good about it. When you were talking to him on the drive, was that a Zoom where he could look at you or just FaceTime? I was all uh I we just sent him some documents and I had the documents in front of me and we I didn’t feel the initially I was thinking we’ll FaceTime and I thought that’s a little awkward to just stare at each other when you’re just having a conversation. So we just put on a speaker phone and talk that way. How about just uh um just the physical timing with Jamar and T? Mhm. Extra extra outs on air extra extra drills or what’s Well, no. I mean I’m not going to tax Jamar and T. They’re um you know we got to do a great job. I am mindful we do have a game next Thursday as well. So you do have to be mindful with what we’re asking all of our guys to do physically this weekend and next week and so um I’m not going to I’m not going to overly tax Jamar T. If anything I’m I’m going to make sure that they’re they’re good to go. Um so that I won’t I’m not going to do anything if if anything’s just standing and catching so they can feel feel the power of his throw. And kind of the nice thing about Joe’s arm strength is different than than a guy maybe that’s got to throw with a ton of anticipation, which Joe throws with great anticipation, but he’s got a little more power to make up. So if he’s not sure where the guy is, he’s got a little more juice to make up for it and and put the ball in a spot where where the receiver can still have an attempt to go get it. The fact that you do go to Green Bay and have a short turnaround, uh, does that put even more emphasis on the amount of work that has to get done this week in terms of installing everything? No, you’re focused on one game at a time. I I I just I only made that comment because you were asking about the extra work with the receivers and I have to be mindful of that from a physical standpoint. But um no, we’re we’re focused on this game and and we’ll we’ll attack next week when we get to next week. What has Micah Parsons before the Cowboys came last year, you guys talked about, you know, how much respect you had for him. What has he brought to Green Bay’s defense since he got Well, it’s a great defense number one. Uh, and with Micah, it continues to be a great defense and and he does a great job affecting the passer. They all do up front that it’s a really good unit. They’re well coached. Shaffley does a great job. Matt does a great job. Um, these guys are in sync with each other and and they do a great job affecting the passer. So, Michael Parson’s obviously the lead player in this league. Got to be very aware of him. They got other guys you got to be aware of, too. So, big challenge for us. So, how do you think, what’s the plan for some during this one? Uh, start back practicing individual. We we’ll see how much he can handle today. Um see if we increase it tomorrow, but we’ll just take a dayto-day with him right now. Any other guys you could be limited today and tomorrow? Um you know, I’m just going to be mindful of some of the receivers, you know, and so just making sure that that um limit them through the week. They’ll do some spot work and then see where we’re at. But that’s not necessarily conducive to any long-term progress. No, no, no. Just manage load management. Yes. Yes. Exactly. Blackco played pretty well against you in week one. What impression did he make on you in that? Well, I’ve I’ve always been impressed, you know, and I think we’ve got a elite receiving core that will complement him very well. And so, again, he throws the ball on time, throws it to the location supposed to be. And and again, I’m I’m always uh proud of the way that Troy gets those guys and and that’s a lot of that. It’s important to them, too. They understand the locations and the timing and when the ball’s going to be out, and they do a great job with the communication with the quarterbacks in that way. So, um, I just think he’s a really good fit with with our style of play and the guys we have. Could his arm strength give you another wrinkle or element as you work with him from a playbook stand? I mean, sure. He He’s unique that way. He he’s unique. Um, so again, it’s it’s however that fits our system as we continue to go, we’ll we’ll make sure we do that. With Shamar, you obviously play Thursday night next week. Do you consider that at all with a guy coming back? We’re just going to take it one day at a time with him. He he’s he’s going to get out there today and do some individuals, see how he feels physically. He’s ready for that point now. So, um no reason to to think that far ahead yet. We’ll just focus on today, see where he’s at, and then approach tomorrow. Um whatever fits him best. I know you have tunnel vision on what you’re doing here, but when you look across the AFC, it does feel pretty wide open this year after five weeks. Is there a thought of we’re not going to punt on this season, we got to go get a guy that can help us win games and get back in this thing with getting Joe? Yes. our our mindset is always what can we do to improve our team and that’s that’s my mindset Duke ownership everybody involved and so again this is this is the move we felt we needed to make right now and excited about it

Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor addressed the team’s trade for Joe Flacco from the Cleveland Browns on Wednesday. Taylor confirmed that Flacco will start right away in Week 6 against the Green Bay Packers, detailing why the veteran quarterback is a good fit for the Bengals’ offense, how quickly he’s learning the playbook, and what the team’s mindset is moving forward. Plus, Taylor addresses Joe Burrow’s injury status and any connection to the Flacco move, the team’s focus on staying in the AFC playoff race, an injury update on Shemar Stewart and more!

00:00 Zac Taylor’s initial thoughts on Joe Flacco
01:02 Flacco’s prior experience vs. Green Bay
03:03 Flacco’s arrival process
05:10 Joe Burrow recovery
05:42 Joe Flacco mobility concern
07:40 Jake Browning’s role
09:03 Importance of Flacco’s mental makeup
11:36 Refining the game plan for Flacco
14:43 Praise for Micah Parsons and Packers defense
16:00 Flacco’s fit with Bengals receiving corps
17:04 Open competition in the AFC

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