Bengals Sign QB Heavily Linked to Vikings
After extensive quarterback theories, sponsored by fans and media members, the Minnesota Vikings landed on a double-fisted combo at quarterback next to J.J. McCarthy in 2026: Kyler Murray and Carson Wentz. That man will not be Joe Flacco, who frequented the rumor mill in the last two months. Flacco signed with the Cincinnati Bengals on Tuesday.
Cincinnati closed the door on one more Vikings-adjacent QB rumor from early in the offseason.
Flacco’s career continues to chug along, the poster of volume stats when a team’s QB1 gets hurt.
Cincinnati’s Move Ends the Flacco Theories for Another Year
Flacco returns to a familiar spot.
Flacco to CIN
It’s a reunion deal for Flacco, who wound up in Cincinnati via trade midseason when Joe Burrow missed several games.
ESPN’s Ben Bay wrote Tuesday, “Joe Flacco is coming back for another season. The 41-year-old quarterback has agreed to a one-year deal to stay with the Cincinnati Bengals, his agent, Joe Linta, told ESPN. Sources told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler the contract is for $6 million, but could be worth up to $9 million with incentives.”
“Flacco began last season as the Cleveland Browns’ top quarterback. But after four starts, he was benched in favor of Cleveland rookie Dillon Gabriel. Around the same time, the Bengals needed a starting quarterback following Joe Burrow’s turf toe injury and Jake Browning’s struggles. Cincinnati sent the Browns a 2026 fifth-round pick in exchange for Flacco and a 2026 sixth-round pick. Browning signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers earlier this offseason.”
The guy has Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers-like staying power per age.
The Las Vegas Raiders were evidently interested in Flacco, too, as Cincy Jungle‘s Anthony Cosenza noted, “Apparently, the Las Vegas Raiders were heavily interested in Flacco, with the Bengals stepping up to land the 41-year-old signal-caller. While the Bengals prioritized re-signing Flacco, they also had the understanding that he was going to search for the best offer, and one that had the potential to start.”
“While he doesn’t receive the latter in Cincinnati, he got a lucrative backup deal (one year, $6 million, worth up to $9 million) and returns to a place he seemed to have greatly enjoyed when coming over midseason.”
Resume in the NFL
Flacco joined the NFL from Round 1 in 2008 with the Baltimore Ravens and has started 201 games since. He ranks 14th all-time in passing yards and 21st in passing touchdowns. As of late, he’s morphed into a mercenary for hire, the guy called by teams when a QB1 gets hurt, and volume passing is needed.
In 18 seasons, he averages 230 passing yards per game and won a Super Bowl with the 2012 Ravens.
Here’s his destination resume:
- Baltimore Ravens (2008–2018)
- Denver Broncos (2019)
- New York Jets (2020)
- Philadelphia Eagles (2021)
- New York Jets (2021–2022)
- Cleveland Browns (2023)
- Indianapolis Colts (2024)
- Cleveland Browns (2025)
- Cincinnati Bengals (2025–now)
SI.com‘s James Rapien on the Bengals’ 2026 quarterback room: “Flacco returns to be Burrow’s backup. The Bengals also signed veteran Josh Johnson earlier this month. They have a trio of signal callers that make up arguably the best quarterback room in the NFL.”
“Burrow is one of, if not the best quarterback on the planet when he’s healthy. Flacco is a Super Bowl champion entering his 19th season. Johnson is a battle tested veteran that has bounced around the league, but has stuck around and joins Flacco as the only other quarterback from the 2008 NFL Draft that is still in the league.”
Burrow Insurance
The Bengals basically wanted another Joe in case their main Joe gets hurt. Burrow isn’t necessarily injury-prone, but compared to other Top 10 quarterbacks, he’s not far from the label. In the last three seasons, Burrow has missed one-third of all games due to injury.
Instead of trading for Flacco if something happens to Burrow in 2026 — that’s what the Bengals did last year — they simply re-signed him in March to hedge the bet.
The previous QB2 alternative was a man named Jake Browning, who began his career with the Vikings a half-decade ago. Browning turned heads in his few starts with decent performance but later fizzled and signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week.
All the Bengals FA Moves
Cincinnati has been one of the quieter teams in free agency per volume, with these newcomers and re-signings:
- Jonathan Allen (DL) MIN → CIN
- Bryan Cook (S) KC → CIN
- Joe Flacco (QB) CIN → CIN
- Boye Mafe (ED) SEA → CIN
- Josh Johnson (QB) BAL → CIN
And then men who left for new adventures:
- Tycen Anderson (S) CIN → DEN
- Jake Browning (QB) CIN → TB
- Noah Fant (TE) CIN → NO
- Geno Stone (S) CIN → BUF
- Trey Hendrickson (ED) CIN → BAL
- Marco Wilson (CB) CIN → MIA
- Joseph Ossai (ED) CIN → NYJ
- Cam Taylor-Britt (CB) CIN → IND
Flacco will turn 42 during the postseason in 2026. The Vikings are slated to play the Bengals again in 2029.
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