Bengals keep the door open for Joe Flacco despite signing another familiar face to be Joe Burrow’s backup quarterback
Josh Johnson is the new No. 2 quarterback in Cincinnati.
The fourth free agent signing made by the Cincinnati Bengals this week is a backup quarterback, but his name is not Joe Flacco.
Josh Johnson has signed a one-year deal with Cincinnati. It’s his third stint with the Bengals, and 22nd stop in the NFL since being drafted 142 picks after Flacco in the 2008 NFL Draft.
Johnson was last in Cincy during the 2015 offseason when he competed to be Andy Dalton’s backup for that season. He was Dalton’s backup in 2013. He’s played in 50 NFL games and has been rostered by 14 different clubs, while also playing for the AAF’s San Diego Fleet in 2019, and the XFL’s Los Angeles Wildcats in 2020.
Johnson spent the 2025 season with the Washington Commanders and appeared in their last three games of the season. He started in both Week 17 and Week 18, completing 34 of 54 passes for 372 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions.
Cincinnati would have Johnson backing up quarterback Joe Burrow if a game where played tomorrow, but the 39-year old may be considered a temporary addition if the primary plan at the position falls through.
Josh Johnson is the Bengals’ insurance for Joe Flacco
The Bengals want Flacco back as their backup for Burrow for the 2026 season, but Flacco is biding his time to sign as a starter, or to at least compete for a starting gig.
There aren’t many starting jobs open at the moment after Geno Smith was traded to the New York Jets, and Kyler Murray signed with the Minnesota Vikings. Flacco could join the Pittsburgh Steelers and complete the AFC North cycle, but the Steelers are likely to re-sign Aaron Rodgers after hiring Rodgers’ former head coach Mike McCarthy to the same position.
Flacco is not in a rush to sign with a club in March. The 41-year old was able to produce quality numbers in Cincinnati after arriving in the middle of last season via trade. He very well may wait until later in the offseason in case an injury to a starter opens up an opportunity, much like it did with the Bengals after Joe Burrow went down, and Jake Browning failed as his replacement.
It’s not out of the question Flacco will leave for another team, but Cincy can’t wait around forever until he makes up his mind. The only passer behind Burrow prior to Johnson signing was Sean Clifford, who spent all of last season on the practice squad aside from one week and didn’t appear in a single game.
Johnson at the very least gives the Bengals a veteran backup with recent in-game experience to enter the offseason program in case Flacco is still weighing his options. If Flacco does decide to come back to the Queen City, Johnson will either be moved down the depth chart, or let go.
But there’s a very real chance Johnson is here for all of 2026 as Burrow’s backup, and Cincinnati landed on him as the best available option who was willing to sign now.
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