Bengals Player Profile: Josh Johnson is quite the insurance policy behind Cincinnati’s top two quarterbacks
The Bengals signed Josh Johnson prior to re-signing Joe Flacco. Johnson was thought of as an insurance policy in case Flacco landed a potential starting role with another team. When Flacco made is way back to the Queen City, Johnson became the new No. 3 QB.
We’re 32 days away from the Cincinnati Bengals’ preseason finale against the Philadelphia Eagles. We’ll have a profile page for every member of the Bengals’ 90-man roster leading up to the conclusion of the preseason. Check out previous player profiles here.
The next name on the countdown has had two prior stints with the Bengals.
Josh Johnson Player Profile
Age: 40
Year: 14th
Position: Quarterback
College: San Diego
Jersey Number: 11
Josh Johnson was originally drafted No. 160 in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers following a four-year college career at the University of San Diego.
His NFL career has been, to use a popular phrase right now, an odyssey.
Johnson has played in 50 career games for seven teams, but has been rostered by 15 NFL clubs and two non-NFL franchises over the last 18 years. One of his many stops was in Cincinnati in both 2013 and 2015. He was the Bengals’ backup to Andy Dalton in his first year with the club, and tried reclaiming the role in 2015 before being released prior to the season starting.
The Washington Commanders were Johnson’s most recent team. He was one of Jayden Daniels’ backups last season and made two starts as the QB depth dwindled in a lost season.
Contract details
Johnson signed a one-year, $1,500,000 free agent contract with Cincinnati this offseason. His base salary for 2026 is $1,300,000, and he also received a $200,000 as a signing bonus. His total cash figure and salary cap hit for the year is $1.5 million.
Roster outlook
The Bengals signed Johnson prior to re-signing Joe Flacco. Johnson was thought of as an insurance policy in case Flacco landed a potential starting role with another team. When Flacco made is way back to the Queen City, Johnson became the new No. 3 QB.
Obviously, three is a heavy number to carry at the position on a 53-man roster. Cincy usually only rosters two during the year, with exceptions made when injuries plague one of the top two.
I would not expect Johnson to make the team if Flacco and Joe Burrow leave the preseason fully healthy. He may come back to the practice squad if he has no other suitors as a backup, but he’s lasted this long in the league because of his ability to fill that role. He should have other opportunities.
Roster odds: 5%