In a last-minute move by the Cincinnati Bengals, veteran quarterback Joe Flacco will take over as the team’s new QB. The trade opens the door for Shedeur Sanders to potentially see playing time this season with the Cleveland Browns.
The Browns’ depth chart now lists Shedeur as the primary backup, while Dillon Gabriel holds the starting quarterback role for Kevin Stefanski’s team.
The news regarding this intriguing move by the Bengals was confirmed by NFL insider Ian Rapoport through his official X account (formerly Twitter).
“The #Bengals are trading for Joe Flacco, per me and @TomPelissero,” the insider reported.
It’s worth noting that Deshaun Watson is also on the roster, though he remains far from returning to action after suffering a serious injury some time ago. He continues to work separately from the rest of the team.
Flacco’s numbers with the Browns
So far this season, Joe Flacco has posted underwhelming numbers as the Browns’ starter. Over four games, he has completed just 58.1% of his passes for 815 yards, with 2 touchdowns but 6 interceptions, yielding a passer rating in the low 60s.
His average yards per attempt hovers around 5.1, well below the league standard. Clearly, Cleveland feels they need more consistency under center, which helped precipitate the switch to rookie Dillon Gabriel as the starter.
Only the rookies remained
The Cleveland Browns‘ quarterback room underwent a dramatic shift with the recent departures of veteran signal-callers. First, the team shipped Kenny Pickett to the Las Vegas Raiders in a trade, followed by the surprising intra-AFC North move that sent Joe Flacco, the initial 2025 starter, to the Cincinnati Bengals.
These transactions have officially paved the way for the Browns’ pair of rookie quarterbacks, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. Gabriel, the third-round pick who was recently elevated to the starting role after Flacco’s struggles, is now firmly entrenched as QB1.
Meanwhile, the fifth-round selection, Sanders, moves up to become the clear backup, settling the team’s depth chart after a crowded offseason. Cleveland is banking on its young talent, trusting its draft picks to steer the struggling offense forward for the remainder of the season.