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The Cincinnati Bengals’ season could be in jeopardy after only the first two weeks of the season, as Joe Burrow is set to miss extended time after suffering turf toe against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Burrow is set to have surgery, and the timeline reported that he may be out for around three months.
For now, the Bengals will have to rely on backup QB Jake Browning, who helped the Browns get the win in Week 2. If they don’t believe in Browning to lead the way for the next few months, there’s a chance that the Bengals could look around for a quarterback in the trade market.
Here are three targets they should target as Burrow is sidelined.
Kirk Cousins may be the most popular backup quarterback in the league, as there were many trade rumors surrounding him during the offseason. Cousins has let it be known that he wants to be a starter in the league, but the Falcons are in no rush to trade him. One of the reasons they may be so patient is because of the money still attached to his contract, and if it’s not a deal that doesn’t allow them to keep most of his contract, they’ll most likely keep him.
In the event that the Bengals make a sweet deal for the Falcons, they may listen. Cousins is a veteran in this league, and he showed last season that he is capable enough to lead an offense. He should also be fully recovered from his Achilles injury, which is good for any team that may be interested in him. The Browns have a playoff-ready team, and adding Cousins will keep their hopes alive while Burrow is recovering.
If it’s one backup that has seen a lot of success in the league as a starter, it’s Jimmy Garoppolo. Injuries are the things that have hindered Garoppolo’s career over the years, but when he’s healthy, he’s shown that he can still lead an offense to some wins. He’s not the type of quarterback that will make big plays with his arm, and with players such as Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, airing the ball out is a must. Nonetheless, he’s a true game manager and knows how to move the chains.
Garoppolo may be a good move for the Bengals, but the Rams may want to trade him because of the injury history of Matthew Stafford. Throughout training camp, Stafford had a back injury, and it was uncertain if it was serious enough for him to miss the start of the season. If he were to miss time, Garoppolo would’ve stepped in and been the QB1.
This would be a full-circle moment for the Bengals if they were to target Andy Dalton, as the quarterback started his career with the team. Dalton saw most of his success with the Bengals, leading them to the playoffs four...
