Bengals get bad news on Joe Flacco's free agency due to Falcons rumor

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Mar 1, 2026 - 17:25

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Bengals get bad news on Joe Flacco's free agency due to Falcons rumor originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

After Joe Burrow's early-season injury and Jake Browning's struggles, the Cincinnati Bengals swung a rare intra-division trade for a quarterback with the Cleveland Browns, landing Joe Flacco for the rest of the season.

He made a few starts for the Bengals and became a fan favorite quickly with his heroics against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday Night Football.

The Bengals and their fans surely wouldn't mind getting Flacco back as the backup for one more season. But, according to ESPN's Dan Graziano, the Bengals got some bad news thanks to a big Atlanta Falcons rumor.

Bengals get bad Joe Flacco news amid Falcons rumor

"Some teams have interest in veteran Joe Flacco after the way he played last season in starting roles in Cleveland and Cincinnati," Graziano writes. "But a lot of folks in Indy said they expect Flacco to follow coach Kevin Stefanski to Atlanta as an option in case Michael Penix Jr. isn't ready to start the season."

The Falcons are going to be in the quarterback market, as Kirk Cousins is set to be released, and Penix is not expected to be ready by Week 1.

Flacco, the 41-year-old journeyman quarterback, is likely to find a landing spot where he'll be able to get some playing time.

With the Bengals, if all goes well, Flacco would never see the field as Burrow wouldn't get hurt, and there wouldn't be a time when the Bengals need to turn to a backup.

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Flacco might be a fan favorite, and his six starts might have resulted in a 13-to-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio, but his desire for a starting job and fit with new Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski make a Cincinnati reunion not likely.

While the Bengals could take a chance on Browning for one more season as the backup, they should seriously consider targeting a new backup to at the very least, give Browning some competition to begin the season.

Flacco's odds of coming back to the Bengals don't look great, as many people attending the NFL Scouting Combine believe the 18-year Pro Bowl veteran is heading to Atlanta.