The Cincinnati Bengals made a bold trade on Tuesday, acquiring veteran quarterback Joe Flacco. Cincinnati has been desperate to find an answer at quarterback after Joe Burrow went down with a turf toe injury in Week 2. Backup Jake Browning stepped in to take Burrow's place, but Browning was a huge disappointment after three starts.
The Bengals acquired Joe Flacco and a sixth-round pick in exchange for a fifth-round pick. This is a rare intra-division trade, and even rarer still at the quarterback position. In fact, this is the first trade between the Bengals and Browns since 1999.
Flacco has seen it all in the NFL and will likely step in for the Bengals at quarterback as soon as possible. He could even play in Week 6 against the Packers.
But Will this trade rescue the season for the Bengals? And what does it mean for the Browns?
Below we will grade Tuesday's Joe Flacco trade from the perspective of both the Bengals and Browns.
Bengals could rescue their season with Joe Flacco at quarterback
Nothing could be more important for the Bengals than finding a capable quarterback. That alone makes this an incredible trade for them.
It feels like ancient history that Flacco led the Browns to the playoffs back in 2023. He certainly isn't the same player at 40 years old. However, there's reason to hope he could do the same for the Bengals in 2025.
Flacco did not play well in Cleveland this season. He managed 815 passing yards with two touchdowns and six interceptions and had an awful 58.1% completion percentage.
But there are a few reasons why Flacco struggled in Cleveland that shouldn't follow him to Cincinnati.
To start, the Browns have a terrible offense right now. Rookie running back Quinshon Judkins is a rare bright spot on an otherwise poor unit. That made it easy for opposing defenses to shut down Cleveland's passing game.
Flacco will be surrounded by talent in Cincinnati, with Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins probably the best receiver duo he's ever played with.
Cleveland also ran the ball a lot after Judkins started showing promise, which gave Flacco fewer opportunities to shine.
No offense Chase Brown, but I don't think the same thing will happen with the Bengals.
The Bengals should rush to get Flacco into the starting lineup as soon as possible. Every game counts in the NFL, and Cincinnati has little margin for error at 2-3.
Thankfully the AFC is looking much more competitive in 2025 than in past seasons. But it is still a stretch to imagine the Bengals making the playoffs.
I love this trade for the Bengals because it gives them hope for the rest of the regular season. Personally, I'd call this trade worth it for that alone, even if it was guaranteed that Cincinnati would not make the postseason.
The price that Cincinnati paid for Flacco also makes this an excellent deal.
The Bengals will not mind picking one round later during the 2026 NFL Draft. And they'll be happy they took a chance on Flacco, whatever happens next.
Bengals trade grade: A
Brown express confidence in Dillon Gabriel with Joe Flacco trade
The Joe Flacco trade seems to suggest the Browns are extremely comfortable with Dillon Gabriel at quarterback.
Cleveland benched Flacco for Gabriel last week after their 1-3 start to the season. Gabriel got his first start against the Vikings in London on Sunday.
While the Browns did not win that game, they clearly came away impressed by what they have in the young rookie.
Gabriel passed for 190 yards and two touchdowns against Brian Flores' vaunted defense. Cleveland was alive in that game until the final minute, losing on an incredible touchdown pass by Jordan Addison.
Keeping Flacco on the roster would give Cleveland a backup plan in case Gabriel continues to struggle. Now Shedeur Sanders is the only healthy quarterback left on the roster behind Gabriel.
Ultimately, I see this as a win-win situation for the Browns.
There was no point in starting Flacco for the rest of the season, as the Browns are unlikely to make the playoffs. He was the proverbial “progress stopper” who kept a rookie quarterback off the field.
Now the Browns can truly see what they have in Gabriel, and Sanders if necessary.
If either quarterback thrives, perhaps Cleveland figures out that they have their next franchise quarterback. And if Gabriel struggles, Cleveland's draft pick in 2026 will be high enough to contend for a talented rookie next April.
Both of those are great outcomes in my opinion. Plus the Browns gained some draft capital on top.
This true is a rare trade where both sides have to be feeling great.
Browns trade grade: A
