Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was forced out of Sunday’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars with a toe injury. After returning to the Bengals locker room with team medical personnel, he was ruled out for the rest of the Jaguars game later in the second half.
Later on, it was confirmed that Burrow has suffered a significant injury and will miss time. Here’s who the Bengals have to look at on their quarterback depth chart with the face of their franchise out:
A Look at Bengals’ QB Depth Chart After Joe Burrow’s Injury
Jake Browning came into the game in the second half when Burrow went down. Browning is in his third year as a backup to Burrow.
The next day after the game, NFL insider Adam Schefter confirmed the horrible news for the Bengals fans.
“Bengals QB Joe Burrow will need toe surgery that will sideline him a minimum of three months,” he wrote. “The Bengals have been calling around to other free-agent quarterbacks since after Joe Burrow’s injury, knowing they will have to add at least one more to their roster.”
Bengals HC Zac Taylor also confirmed that Burrow will have surgery, but the team is still weighing on options about whether to place the quarterback on the injured reserve.
Joe Burrow is headed to the locker room with an apparent ankle or foot injury.
Jake Browning is now in at QB. pic.twitter.com/1asF0hCYWM
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) September 14, 2025
Until the Bengals figure out a way to get a new quarterback, they have to rely on Browning, who threw for 241 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions against the Jaguars.
In 13 NFL games, including seven starts in the 2023 season, Browning has been 192-for-275 attempts for 2,177 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. “We have a ton of confidence in Jake,” Taylor said about Browning after Burrow’s injury.
On the Bengals’ practice squad, Brett Rypien is available should he need to be called up. Between 2020 and 2023, Rypien played for the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Rams. He was on the Minnesota Vikings’ roster last season.
In four years, he was 98-for-168 passing for 950 yards, four touchdowns, and nine interceptions.
Top Free Agent QBs for Bengals
Cincinnati probably will dip into the free agent market if it needs another quarterback on their team, too. Among the names that might be considered are C.J. Beathard, who played with the Jacksonville Jaguars last season.
Beathard has played with the San Francisco 49ers and the Jaguars in his career. He’s 340-of-563 passing in his career for 3,886 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions.
Former New York Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito might be an option as well. DeVito, who became a fan favorite for the Giants, has thrown eight touchdown passes and three interceptions in his career.
Jeff Driskel is also available on the free agent market. He was on the Washington Commanders’ roster last season. Driskel has played with the Bengals, Detroit Lions, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Cleveland Browns, and Commanders in his career. He has 16 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions in his career.
Any of these quarterbacks would be serviceable if Burrow misses some time. But the Bengals really hope that Burrow’s injury is not that serious. They need him in the starting lineup every single game.
how about go after Derick Carr?