The Cincinnati Bengals' offseason is going to be a defensive-focused one. They need help at essentially every position, and with some cap space, most of their resources will go to the defensive side of the ball in free agency.
But that doesn't mean the offense will be ignored. If there is one position that is a sneaky need, it's the backup quarterback spot. Jake Browning proved to be shaky in 2025, and after Joe Flacco took over, things turned around for the better.
But Flacco is hitting free agency. And according to the NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, the Bengals got both good and bad news on Flacco's free agency. They have a chance to bring him back, but it's far from a guarantee.
Bengals get iffy Joe Flacco news ahead of free agency
"Veteran QB Joe Flacco, who will be a free agent Monday, wants an opportunity to at least compete for a starting job," Pelissero reports, "but if he's a backup, sources say, Flacco would consider a return to Cincinnati, where he filled in for Joe Burrow last fall and made his first Pro Bowl."
This is both a good and bad report for the Bengals. For starters, the good news. Flacco's interest in a return to the Bengals is a good sign.
While there still needs to be a lot for a deal to be struck, the interest from Flacco in returning to Cincinnati is a good start for the Bengals this offseason.
However, if the 41-year-old quarterback gets a chance to compete for a starting job somewhere, then the Bengals might be missing out on the beloved backup QB.
A team like the Atlanta Falcons or Miami Dolphins could add Flacco and give him a good chance to start right away. Maybe the Las Vegas Raiders want to be patient with Fernando Mendoza and would give Flacco the keys to begin the year.
More: Falcons strongly linked to Joe Flacco as Michael Penix insurance
Regardless of which team it ends up being, if Flacco gets interest from a QB-needy team that will let him compete for a starting job, he will likely choose to go to said team over the Bengals.
But if there isn't such a landing spot available, the Bengals have a decent chance to re-sign Flacco to be a high-profile backup quarterback for a year.
This report from Pelissero, the day before free agency begins, is both good and bad news. The Bengals might be getting Flacco back, only if there isn't a starting QB job available for the Pro Bowl veteran QB this offseason.
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