Behind Joe Burrow, the Cincinnati Bengals don't have much at quarterback. Brandon Allen is a free agent, and Jake Browning has never taken a snap outside of the preseason.

It wouldn't be surprising to see the team invest in a rookie at the position, especially with Burrow on the verge of signing a massive extension. 

The Bengals will take a look to see if Aidan O'Connell fits the bill for them.

Per NFL Media's Tom Pelissero, O'Connell has either a private meeting and workout scheduled with Cincinnati.

Purdue QB Aidan O’Connell has a private workout today with the #Cowboys, per source.

O’Connell also has private visits and workouts set up with the #Jets, #Raiders, #Saints, #Bengals, #Colts and #Bears, and has Zoomed with 10 other teams. Busy month for the Shrine Bowl standout.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 28, 2023

A four-year player at Purdue, O'Connell threw for over 9,000 yards and 65 touchdowns for the Boilermakers. He played sparingly from 2019-20 before taking over as the starter in '21 and '22. 

While he played for four years, he was actually on the team for six. O'Connell joined the program as a walk-on in 2017 and was essentially redshirted his first two years. He received extra eligibility due to COVID rules, as all athletes over the past three years have, and eventually worked his way up to the top of the depth chart.

Back in January, O'Connell turned some heads and was named to the East-West Shrine Bowl Practice Team, signifying him as the best QB out in Las Vegas that week.  

"A growing number of people I’ve spoken with from the scouting community believe Shrine Bowl quarterback Aidan O’Connell of Purdue will prevail as the top signal-caller from this year’s class." – Tony Pauline, Pro Football Network

O'Connell enters the NFL already as a 24-year old passer. He'll turn 25 in September. 

Being on the older side without having a great arm for deep passes will cap how high O'Connell will be drafted next month, but as a late-round developmental backup, he has value. That's what the Bengals will be looking for to place behind Burrow for the foreseeable future. 

Cincinnati has already shown apparent interest in the backup quarterback market. They reportedly were in on Dallas Cowboys backup Cooper Rush before he re-signed with the Boys. 

There's still a chance Allen gets re-signed as well, perhaps after the NFL Draft is over and the Bengals miss out on selecting a backup like O'Connell. 

When the Draft transitions to the final two rounds, watch for O'Connell's name when the Bengals get on the clock.