Joe Burrow has completely reversed Cincinnati's fortunes. In just a couple of years, the former first overall pick turned the Bengals into a contender, leading them to a long awaited Super Bowl trip in 2021.
Joey Franchisealmost took his team to consecutive appearances in the big game, but only three points made the difference for Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2023 AFC Championship game.
However, the Bengals look determined to build on their recent progress under Burrow and have already made some interesting additions in the offseason. Besides, they've added a veteran signal-caller to bring depth to the QB room.
Bengals sign QB Trevor Siemian
On Wednesday, the Cincinnati Bengals announced the signing of free agent quarterback Trevor Siemian on a one-year contract for the 2023 NFL season. The 31-year-old comes in to fill in the vacancy left by Brandon Allen, who joined the San Francisco 49ers.
This will be Siemian's sixth team in the league since being drafted by the Broncos in the seventh round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He was part of the Denver roster that won Super Bowl 50 against the Carolina Panthers and was named starter the following season in the wake of Peyton Manning's retirement.
From then on, he became quite a journeyman, having spent time with the Vikings, Jets, Saints, and Bears. Siemian, who started just six games in the last five seasons, has an overall record of 13-17 as starter. He completed 58.9% of his passes, throwing for 7,027 yards, 42 touchdowns and 28 interceptions.
Siemian will probably have to battle it out with Jake Browning for the backup job in Cincinnati, so this will be an interesting storyline for the Bengals heading into the offseason.
