Cincinnati Bengals
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The Bengals signed a quarterback in free agency
The Cincinnati Bengals have been busy in free agency, as they have reshaped their defense. Throughout this first week of free agency, their most noteworthy signings have beenpass rusher Boye Mafe to a three-year, $60 million contract, safetyBryan Cook to a three-year, $40.2 million contract, and defensive lineman Jonathan Allen to a two-year, $26 million contract.
Those three moves figure to be immediate impact players on Cincinnati’s defense.Now the Bengals have added an offensive player,announcing the signing of veteran quarterback Josh Johnson. Johnson,according to Spotrac, has earned more than $25 million in the NFL since first joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2009.
Johnson was a fifth-round pick by the Buccaneers in the 2009 NFL Draft. He appeared in 25 games for them over three years, and started five games. Since then, Johnson has been on seven different NFL teams, including two different stints with the Commanders, with whom he most recently played for in the 2025 season. Johnson was also out of the NFL in the 2019 and 2020 seasons as he played football in the Alliance of American Football and the XFL.
Cincinnati Bengals Backup Quarterback
As things currently stand, Johnson is penciled in as the backup quarterback to Joe Burrow. Although Johnson has never played at a Pro Bowl level like previous backup Joe Flacco, he does possess 50 games of NFL experience, including 11 starts.
However, that experience has produced mixed results as he has thrown more interceptions than touchdowns in his career and has a completion percentage below 60%.
Regarding what the team is looking for in a backup quarterback,offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher said,“When you’re looking for a backup quarterback, which is what we’re looking for, you want a great player. The same traits that make a starting quarterback a good player are going to be the traits that make a backup quarterback a good player. But the backup quarterback is a unique job, and an understanding of what that is is important.”
He added, “Because you have to have a guy that’s very intrinsically motivated, somebody that can just go to work and do the work day in and day out because they know it’s the right thing to do, and because they can get themselves to a place mentally where ‘I might have to play at any given moment, but I also may not play all year.’ And that’s different than any other position in the building.”
Joe Flacco’s Status
Johnson’s signing could result in some doubt that Joe Flacco will return to the Cincinnati Bengals for the 2026 season. Although Johnson served as the third-string quarterback for the Commanders last season, he has proven capable of being a team’s primary backup.
Sports Illustrated’s Zach Pressnell wrote about the possibility of Flacco signing with the Bengals, as there are few starting opportunities left in the NFL.He wrote, “With this turn of events, the Bengals have a chance to retain Flacco as their backup quarterback.
Flacco seemingly enjoyed his time with the Bengals and Cincinnati could be willing to invest in him as Joe Burrow’s backup. Having a backup quarterback is crucial in the NFL, especially with a quarterback who has an injury history like Burrow’s.
Flacco quickly became a fan favorite for the Bengals. There’s a chance he ends up competing for a job with one of the quarterback-needy teams. But if he ends up signing to be a backup, the Bengals could be his top choice.”