Cincinnati Bengals tender backup QB Jake Browning

Highlights

• The Bengals tendered backup Jake Browning for $915,000 next season.
• Browning impressed with 1,936 yards, and a high completion rate in Burrow’s absence.
• The Bengals feel secure with Browning as QB2, and plan for him to be with the team for the next two seasons.

The Cincinnati Bengals never want to live without Joe Burrow, but if they have to, Jake Browning will be available for the foreseeable future. The organization tendered their backup quarterback, meaning he’ll be on the roster earning $915,000 next season.

That’s excellent news for Bengals fans who watched the former practice squad member admirably fill in for their star quarterback for seven starts last season. Along with some security under center, the Bengals also tendered Cal Adomitis, keeping their reliable long snapper in the fold for the 2024 NFL season.

Jake Browning to stay in case of emergency

The Bengals can keep Browning on the roster for the next two seasons

In Burrow’s absence, Browning threw for 1,936 yards, 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions while completing 70.4% of his passes. He also managed the lowest percentage of off-target throws in the league (9.8%).

As an exclusive rights free agent, Browning earns a set amount based on his number of accrued seasons. It also means the Bengals can do it again next year, keeping their highly economical backup for at least two years. Browning, for his part, feels he’s proven himself as a starter:

I feel like I’m one of the top 32 quarterbacks in the world, and I just so happen to be on a roster with a guy who’s proven that he’s a top five quarterback in the world. What that looks like going forward, I have no idea, nor do I have any control. So, I’m not going to think about it a ton.

Browning blossomed in Cincinnati

The Bengals feel secure with Browning as their QB2

Usually, when a starting QB of Burrow’s quality goes down, the fan base can kiss their season goodbye. However, the former practice squad member of the Minnesota Vikings and Bengals rose to the occasion, highlighted by an unforgettable performance in Week 13 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Browning went 32-for-37 passing for 354 yards, two total touchdowns, and no picks. He also wasn’t just completing easy dink and dunk passes. Browning went 7-for-7 on passes over 10 air yards. That’s the most downfield completions without an incompletion since Week 16 of 2021, according to Next Gen Stats.

Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin spoke about Browning’s incredible play at the NFL Scouting Combine this week:

You want somebody that can come in and give you the opportunity to win, and he did more than that and we were really impressed with the way that he attacked his role and his leadership when it came down to him being the guy. You could tell he is been in that role before and he was comfortable in that role and we were really impressed with a lot of the things that he did. In terms of keeping him, we plan for him to be with us. Yes.

Ultimately, Browning did hit some growing pains later in the season, throwing three picks against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Nevertheless, as backups go, he’s about as good as it gets.

Before this move, the Bengals had already secured WR2 Tee Higgins for another year on a franchise tag deal, but this move checks several boxes on the team’s list of offseason desires.

All statistics courtesy of Pro Football Reference and all contract information courtesy of Spotrac unless stated otherwise.