Joe Flacco won a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens and has helped the Cleveland Browns get to the playoffs.
So why not try to save the Cincinnati Bengals' 2025 NFL season until Joe Burrow can return?
One Joe will fill for another after the Browns traded Flacco to the Bengals in a deal also involving late-round draft picks on Tuesday, a month before the NFL midseason deadline. While the Bengals' depth chart gets a starter to replace struggling Jake Browning, the Browns are now down to two rookies in their QB room.
MORE: Joe Flacco traded to Bengals, adding another stop in legacy
Here's breaking down the Flacco move fallout for both teams and well beyond
Joe Flacco trade winners & losers
Winners: Bengals
The Bengals don't need to watch Browning get burned week after week with poor, inaccurate passing anymore. He has been terrible in protecting the ball and helping the Bengals move to their expensive, talented wide receivers.
Flacco hasn't avoided turnovers with the Browns, to the point it cost him his starting job in favor of third-round rookie Dillon Gabriel in Week 5. But at least he can put the ball deep downfield in good spots for Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to make some plays to give Cincinnati's offense a fighting chance of revival until Burrow can return late.
MORE: How Joe Flacco deal impact Bengals QB room
Winners: Browns
The Browns have been a full youth movement with Gabriel having company from key rookies, including running back Quinshon Judkins, wide receiver Isaiah Bond, tight end Harold Fannin Jr., and linebacker Carson Schwesinger. Now they can go rookie at backup, too, with Shedeur Sanders being the option should Gabriel falter after a good initial showing vs. the Vikings. Flacco was just occupy backward veteran space on their roster.
MORE: Where Shedeur Sanders stands in Browns QB room after Flacco deal
Loser: Jake Browning
Browning couldn't find his 2023 supersub form at all and was costing the team games badly. His stint may hurt him from seeing good No. 2 roles elsewhere should the Bengals move on for good.
Winner: Shedeur Sanders
Sanders is the No. 2 behind Gabriel for the short term. Kenny Pickett also was traded to the Raiders in the offseason. Moving Flacco has put much less competition in the Browns' quarterback room. The team should find a veteran just in case Gabriel gets hurt, but Sanders is closer to get his chance, no doubt.
Winners: Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins
Chase did have a nice game in garbage time with two TDs from Browning and Higgins also found the end zone in Week 5. But they have been non-factors in crucial parts of games when the Bengals still have chances to win. Flacco, if he doesn't do anything else, would make sure that Chase and Higgins see enough good targets to make big plays either before or after the catch.
Losers: Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston
The Giants QBs had both been rumored to replace Browning when Burrow went down. Instead, Wilson is stuck behind Jaxson Dart while Winston has settled for being inactive on game days. It's weird (and cheap) how the Bengals didn't want to do anything to acquire either.
MORE: Why Giants benched Russell Wilson for Jaxson Dart
Loser: Kirk Cousins
Remember him? So much or him getting the chance to use his big arm again, throwing to Chase and Higgins in another Rams-adjacent offense. Cousins will continue to get a lot of money to hold the clipboard for Michael Penix Jr.
Losers: Ravens and Steelers
Don't forget about these guys. The Ravens are buried a game behind the 2-3 Bengals at 1-4. The Steelers are only 1.5 games ahead at 3-1 coming off their Week 5 bye. Cincinnati can be a lot more competitive now with Flacco's execution to the point it might have saved its AFC playoff chances. This division is still up for grabs, given how much of a flawed team Pittsburgh is at the top.
MORE: Ravens' 2025 playoff chances take massive hit without Lamar Jackson