Bengals doubling down on quarterback help after Joe Burrow’s injury sends a clear message about Jake Browning
Cincinnati is adding quarterback help, but Jake Browning is indeed the starter.
Two new quarterbacks are joining the Cincinnati Bengals this week.
Per multiple reports, Sean Clifford and Mike White are signing with Cincinnati as new additions for the team’s practice squad.
The Bengals were in the market for quarterback help as soon as Joe Burrow went down with an injury this past Sunday. Burrow was revealed to have turf toe and will be out for at least three months.
Adding two quarterbacks instead of one is a bit surprising, but both starting on the practice squad means something very obvious.
Jake Browning is confirmed as Cincinnati’s starter going forward
This shouldn’t come as a surprise, but the Bengals are giving Browning the keys to the quarterback room during Burrow’s absence. This was the case in 2023 when Burrow injured his wrist, and Browning managed a winning record to close that year out. He led the team to a gutsy comeback win just two days ago as well.
No trades for Jameis Winston or Kirk Cousins to be seen here. Browning is the guy going forward.
When Burrow inevitably goes on the Reserve/Injured list, Brett Rypien would be the likely candidate to take his spot on the 53-man roster. Cincinnati signed Rypien to the practice squad a week before the regular season began, so he’s been in the building longer than any of Browning’s new backups.
The Bengals can fit two new QBs on the practice squad by signing Rypien and filling Maema Njongmeta’s recently vacated spot. Njongmeta was signed by the Carolina Panthers on Monday.
So who are Sean Clifford and Mike White?
Great questions! Clifford started for three years at Cincinnati’s St. Xavier High School and eventually played college ball at Penn State. He was drafted in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers. Allow A to Z Sports’ Green Bay Packers beat writer, Wendell Ferreira, to explain what happened from there:
“Sean Clifford can be considered a smart and capable third-stringer, even though his ceiling is clearly limited due to his physical tools. Back in 2023, the Packers overdrafted him in the fifth round because they badly needed a backup to Jordan Love and didn’t have the cap flexibility to sign a veteran. Last year, Clifford competed with seventh-round rookie Michael Pratt for the backup job, but both ended up losing when the Packers traded for Malik Willis. In 2025, a similar situation happened. Clifford battled for the QB3 job with undrafted rookie Taylor Elgersma, but both were cut when Clayton Tune became available. Over his two seasons in Green Bay, Clifford was up and down the active roster and practice squad. He appeared in two games as a rookie, attempting just one pass—and it was a 37-yard completion, generating a 118.7 passer rating.” — Wendell Ferreira
As for White, Bengals fans may’ve repressed the memory he gave them a few years back.
White was originally a fifth-round pick of the Dallas Cowboys back in 2018, but his first-career start (and second-career game) came in 2021 for the New York Jets. White passed for 405 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-31 win over none other than Cincinnati.
Four years later, White will be another arm in the locker room as the Bengals look to move on without their franchise quarterback. Here’s a look at the new-look depth chart may look like:
- Jake Browning
- Brett Rypien
- Mike White (practice squad)
- Sean Clifford (practice squad)
Cincinnati Bengals News
Bengals’ Week 3 game against Vikings gets another curveball thrown at it on top of Joe Burrow’s injury
An unexpected quarterback matchup is in store for us.
