Training camp is only a few days old, but for the Bengals, catastrophe has already struck thanks to Joe Burrow's calf injury. During Thursday's practice, Burrow was running to his right before coming up lame and hopping around on his left leg, with his right leg clearly bothering him. As it turns out, Burrow had suffered a calf strain, and will be forced to sit on the sidelines for several weeks.
The specifics of Burrow's timetable, and whether or not he will be forced to miss time in the regular season, is still unknown, but this is pretty much the worst case scenario for the Bengals as they kick off their 2023 campaign. Burrow is the key to their success, and missing him for any amount of time could be the difference between a successful season and a failed season.
With Burrow out, that forces Trevor Siemian and Jake Browning into the spotlight, but Cincy isn't going to want either of these guys to be their starting quarterback come Week 1 if Burrow is still on the mend. So with that in mind, let's pick out three quarterbacks the Bengals could target to fill in for Burrow with training camp still in its opening stages.
3. Matt Ryan
Matt Ryan has put together a strong career, but it's clear that the 38-year old's best days are behind him. Ryan's first and only season with the Indianapolis Colts was a disaster (309/461, 3057 YDS, 14 TD, 13 INT), as he lost his starting job after seven games, only to reclaim it after sitting out two games, and then lose it again after five games.
Ryan's situation is a bit complicated given that he will be joining CBS Sports as an NFL analyst, but when announcing his move to the booth, he made it clear that he wasn't retiring. Whether or not he said that only to collect his check from the Indianapolis Colts, or he actually wants to return to the field, remains to be seen.
Giving Ryan a call wouldn't hurt, as he's a capable game-manager who could simply give the Bengals star playmakers the ball and let them go to work. Ryan also can be brought in on a cheap deal, which is the first prerequisite that Cincinnati needs to have when finding their new quarterback. Ryan may ultimately have no interest in returning to the field, but if he does want to play, there are certainly worse options available than him.
2. Teddy Bridgewater
Teddy Bridgewater will never be able to realize his potential as a quarterback thanks to a gruesome knee injury he suffered back in 2016, but he is still a serviceable backup that can be turned to in a pinch. Bridgewater struggled with injuries again in 2022 with the Miami Dolphins, but he could be the perfect option to fill in for Burrow in the short term.
Bridgewater was OK when he was under center last season (49/79, 683 YDS, 4 TD, 4 INT) but his numbers from 2021, when he started 14 games for the Denver Broncos (285/426, 3052 YDS, 18 TD, 7 INT) is a more accurate representation of what he can accomplish. Bridgewater doesn't really create game breaking plays, but he can move the offense up and down the field when needed.
Bridgewater has a higher floor than Ryan, and it feels like he would work well within the Bengals offense, although that could be true of really any quarterback. There wouldn't be a ton of risk that comes with taking a shot with Bridgewater, and he should be an option that Cincinnati seriously considers, especially if Burrow has to miss the first few games of the regular season.
1. Carson Wentz
Carson Wentz has easily the highest ceiling of quarterbacks who are readily available to the Bengals, and he is the best option to keep Cincinnati competitive in Burrow's absence. Wentz is a quarterback who was well on his way to winning MVP back in 2017, and while he isn't the same player he was during the height of his career, Wentz can still be a very good quarterback when he isn't getting in his own way.
Wentz played only eight games with the Washington Commanders last season, and his numbers during his time under center weren't particularly good (172/276, 1755 YDS, 11 TD, 9 INT). Wentz had some monster outings for Washington before he broke his ring finger on his throwing hand, but he lost his job to Taylor Heinicke, and wasn't effective when he came back for a two-game stint in Weeks 16 and 17.
When Wentz is on, he deserves to be a starting quarterback in the NFL. This wouldn't be a full-time job for Wentz, but with all the weapons on the Bengals offense, it feels like he could certainly keep this time competitive while Burrow is out. No one is going to totally replace Burrow, but it feels like Wentz has the best chance to keep the Bengals competitive, which is why Cincy should make an effort to sign him as soon as possible.
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