The Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns have made a rare in-division trade, with the Browns reportedly sending quarterback Joe Flacco to the Bengals.
The trade will see Flacco and a sixth-round pick go to Cincinnati in exchange for a fifth-round pick. Now, Flacco is a candidate to replace Bengals signal-caller Jake Browning, who has struggled badly in relief of the injured Joe Burrow.
In the process of making that trade, we have one NFL first, and another one on the way.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, this is the first trade between the Bengals and Browns since the latter moved back to Cleveland in 1999. Schefter notes that a deal almost went down between the two teams in 2017, but the Browns didn't file the paperwork in time.
"A first: This is the first trade between the Browns and Bengals since Cleveland returned to the NFL in 1999," Schefter wrote. "They tried in 2017, when the Bengals attempted to trade QB AJ McCarron to the Browns for draft compensation, but the Browns failed to file the paperwork in time."
While it remains to be seen if Flacco will get into the starting lineup this week, it is inevitable that he will at some point.
And, when he does, Flacco will become the first quarterback in the Super Bowl era to start a game for the Bengals, Browns and Baltimore Ravens in his career.
"Another first: The only quarterback in the Super Bowl era to start for both the Bengals and Browns is Jeff Driskel," Schefter added. "No quarterback has ever started for the Bengals, Browns and Ravens in his career."
Flacco only has days to learn the playbook before Sunday, so it stands to reason that he'll sit this week. But barring Browning lighting the world on fire out of nowhere, we should see Flacco as the starter by Week 7.
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