Bengals decide on starting QB following unexpected Joe Flacco trade

Cincinnati Bengals Name Joe Flacco Starting Quarterback

The Cincinnati Bengals are set for a change at quarterback. On Wednesday, head coach Zac Taylor revealed that veteran Joe Flacco will take the reins in their Week 6 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.

“We’re going to start him this week,” Taylor shared with the press. “He’ll bring all his reps and get ready.”

The Bengals acquired the 40-year-old Flacco from the Cleveland Browns on Tuesday, making the move in exchange for a couple of picks in 2026—a fifth-round and a second-round selection.

Cincinnati has struggled this season, with a record of 2-3, and they needed someone to step up at quarterback after Jake Browning’s attempts fell short during three starts while Joe Burrow was sidelined. Burrow has been dealing with a challenging turf toe injury which required surgery.

Taylor expressed confidence that Flacco’s experience and style would be a good match for the team’s needs.

Before joining the Bengals, Flacco found himself benched in favor of rookie Dillon Gabriel in Cleveland, which made him available for Cincinnati. Still, his recent performance was a bit of a mixed bag.

This season, Flacco returned to the Browns after leading them to the playoffs in 2023, completing about 58% of his passes for 815 yards over four starts. Unfortunately, his two touchdown passes were accompanied by six interceptions, resulting in a not-so-great QBR of 27.6.

Interestingly, the Browns began the season 1-3 with Flacco at quarterback, but his lone victory came against the Packers in Week 3, where he threw for 142 yards, leading to a narrow 13-10 win, which handed Green Bay their only loss up to that point.