The Cincinnati Bengals lost Joe Burrow in Week 2 of the NFL season, and initially, were happy with Jake Browning as the backup quarterback. He's had his moments with the Bengals and even helped secure the Week 2 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
However, things quickly unraveled, as the Bengals were trounced by the Minnesota Vikings, followed by big losses to the Denver Broncos and the Green Bay Packers. Browning struggled in this stretch, which led the Bengals to swing a trade for Joe Flacco from the Cleveland Browns.
There were some quarterbacks on the market this season who the Bengals could've gone after, but they landed on Flacco, a Super Bowl-winning quarterback, to be their stopgap. And according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the Bengals didn't make a call to another team for their own backup Super Bowl-winning quarterback.
The Bengals didn't make any calls to the New York Giants about their Super Bowl-winning quarterback
Russini reports that, despite the Bengals' interest in adding a new quarterback to take over for Browning, they never called the New York Giants to inquire about Russell Wilson or Jameis Winston.
The Bengals internally discussed different options at QB. I’m told the team never called the Giants about trading for either Russell Wilson or Jameis Winston before making a move for veteran Joe Flacco.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) October 7, 2025
Wilson, just like Flacco, won a Super Bowl over a decade ago. Wilson won with the Seattle Seahawks in 2013, and Flacco won with the Baltimore Ravens in 2012.
But, instead of going after Wilson, who likely wouldn't have cost Cincinnati much different than the pick-swap they made with the Browns for Flacco, the Bengals passed on one Super Bowl-winning quarterback for another.
The Bengals are hoping that Flacco, now the new starting quarterback, can help keep Cincinnati afloat as they wait for Burrow to return from injury later this year.
With the Browns and Ravens at 1-4, and the Pittsburgh Steelers just one win better than the Bengals, a postseason berth isn't out of the question.
More: Cincinnati Bengals acquiring Joe Flacco in trade with Cleveland Browns
This season with the Browns, Flacco made four starts, going 1-3 with a 58.1 percent completion percentage with 815 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, six interceptions, and a passer rating of 60.3.
In comparison, Wilson has made three starts for the Giants this season and has a 0-3 record with a 59.5 percent completion percentage, 786 passing yards, three passing touchdowns, three interceptions, and a 78.9 passer rating.
While Wilson's numbers are a lot better than Flacco's, the Giants' backup quarterback had all three of his touchdowns and 450 of his passing yards come in one game against the Dallas Cowboys.
Cincinnati needed to find a new quarterback, and other than Flacco, Wilson was one of the most likely trade candidates this fall. The Bengals ended up sending a 2026 5th-round pick to the Browns for Flacco and a 2026 6th-round pick to add their new starting quarterback.
They went for Flacco over Wilson, both of whom were Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks earlier in their careers. Both are solid veteran quarterbacks, but the Bengals went for the older, more experienced quarterback to be their stopgap until Burrow returns later this season.
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