Cincinnati Bengals Announce Surprise QB Decision

The Cincinnati Bengals are off to a rough start in the 2025 season, and much of it comes down to quarterback struggles. Joe Burrow, the team’s star signal-caller, has been sidelined by a Grade 3 turf toe injury that required surgery.

His absence has exposed long-standing issues with Cincinnati’s offensive line, which has often left Burrow vulnerable to sacks. Since entering the league in 2020, he’s been one of the most sacked quarterbacks in the NFL, and without him, the offense has struggled to gain traction.

In two games following his injury this season, the Bengals were outgained by more than 533 yards, showing just how much they rely on him to make plays.

Jake Browning Struggling to Lead Bengals, Zac Taylor Gives Update on Quarterback Change

Stepping in for Burrow is Jake Browning, but his first two starts of the season haven’t gone smoothly. The offense has struggled to move the ball and put points on the board, resulting in heavy losses to the Minnesota Vikings and Denver Broncos.

Across those games, the Bengals have been outscored 76-13, a gap that highlights the challenge of replacing a talent like Burrow. Browning admits he’s still trying to find his rhythm, working on decision-making and trying to recapture the “feel” for the game he showed in 2023 when he filled in successfully.

Despite the early struggles, head coach Zac Taylor is standing firmly behind Browning.

“I’ve got a ton of confidence with Jake,” he said. “I’m unwavering in that,” Taylor said. “I’ve seen the best of Jake. I know that we can do a great job supporting him to where he can go win us games.”

#Bengals HC Zac Taylor says he doesn’t feel the team needs to add another QB and that they remain confident in Jake Browning.pic.twitter.com/5TFSeBBADg

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 1, 2025

Taylor stressed that the team’s issues aren’t just about one player; they are a collective problem the coaching staff is committed to fixing.

Through the first month of the season, Browning has posted historically poor numbers. His PFSN QB Impact score of 42.4 not only ranks 37th out of 37 qualifying quarterbacks this year, but it would also stand as the lowest full-season mark in league history by a wide margin.

MORE: PFSN’s QB Rankings

For comparison, the current record for worst full-season QB Impact is 50.2, set by Bailey Zappe in 2023. Browning isn’t just trailing the pack in overall efficiency; he sits at or near the bottom of almost every key statistical category, including last in EPA per dropback when pressured (-1.08), last in EPA per dropback in opponent territory (-0.52), and last in third- and fourth-down conversion rate (25%). He also ranks 36th in EPA per dropback at the end of first halves, highlighting his struggles in critical moments.

The play-by-play results have been just as bleak. In his Week 3 start against the Vikings, Browning registered a 60.1 QB Impact, which placed 422nd out of 423 Bengals quarterback performances since 2000.

The following week against the Broncos, he managed only a slight improvement with a 66.9 QB Impact, ranking 388th out of 423. Across both games, he has consistently delivered some of the least effective outings in recent franchise history, underscoring just how far his play has lagged behind league standards and raising urgent questions about his long-term viability as a starter.