Depending on the severity of the injury, the Bengals could be looking at Joe Burrow replacements and these three quarterbacks could be available.
The scariest scene for the Cincinnati Bengals transpired at training camp on Thursday when star quarterback Joe Burrow went down with a non-contact injury. After being checked out by trainers and the medical staff, he was then carted off the field.
Bengals head coach Zac Taylor called the injury a calf strain after practice concluded when speaking to the media, though Burrow will still undergo further tests and evaluations to determine the severity of the injury. In the immediate reaction, though, it does seem as if the worst-case scenario was avoided.
At the same time, though, with the Joe Burrow injury still being uncertain, the Bengals have to ask themselves what would the plan be if their star quarterback missed any significant time in the regular season. Trotting out Trevor Semian or Jake Browning, the two backups listed on the roster, as the starter for this roster.
So where would they turn? We have three Joe Burrow replacements who would ultimately make sense if the Bengals made a move to add should the star signal-caller be out of action for any time.
Bengals' Joe Burrow replacement No. 3: Andy Dalton, Panthers
Talk about a familiar face.
Andy Dalton spent nine seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals from 2011-19 as the starting quarterback, leading the team to a 70-61-2 overall record in his time with the franchise, a record marred by a dismal 2-11 record in his final season.
Over the past few seasons now, Dalton has bounced around the league with stops in Dallas, Chicago, New Orleans, and then signing with the Carolina Panthers this offseason. However, Dalton already might be expendable for the Panthers with the look of their quarterback room.
Carolina, obviously, traded up to the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and selected Alabama quarterback Bryce Young, who was named the starter just days into training camp by Frank Reich. Meanwhile, the Panthers also have 2022 third-round pick Matt Corral on the depth chart, thus making Dalton a trade chip worth exploring if the Bengals come calling.
While Dalton is not familiar with the new brand of Bengals and, admittedly, is a far diminished version of himself than what we last saw in Cincinnati, the veteran knows how to win games in the NFL and be a serviceable option. Particularly if Joe Burrow weren't out for the full season, Dalton could be a great trade pickup to use as a stopgap option until the real QB1 returns.
In turn, the Panthers could also recoup some of the draft capital used to trade up for Young, making it a win-win situation for both franchises as the Bengals could stay afloat until Burrow gets back.
Bengals' Joe Burrow replacement No. 2: Teddy Bridgewater, Free Agent
Very much in the same vein as Andy Dalton in terms of the lack of upside but without the cost of draft capital, another potential option for the Bengals would definitely be veteran Teddy Bridgewater, who remains a free agent after spending last season with the Miami Dolphins.
Playing in five games while starting two for the Dolphins a year ago, Bridgewater was solid, going 49-of-79 (62%) for 683 yards with four touchdowns and an equal number of interceptions on the year. That's slightly worse than his career averages — 64.7% completion rate, 75-47 touchdown-interception ratio — but still worthwhile for a stopgap.
At just 30 years old, there should still be a market for Bridgewater late in free agency as teams, such as Cincinnati in this situation, explore the waters due to injuries or underperformance in training camp.
More importantly, he would be another great stopgap option if Burrow is slate to miss some time but ultimately return this season. Much like Dalton, he can come in and not lose the Bengals games or put them out of the playoff race.
Carson Wentz is also available in free agency but, given the murmurs about his locker room presence being an issue and his erratic on-field performance, the theoretical upside of his talent — which is admittedly greater than that of Bridgewater — is outweighed by the potential adverse effects he could have on the offense.
Particularly in the aforementioned scenario that Burrow is back this season, the risks of Wentz aren't worth it, making Bridgewater the far superior free agency option for the Bengals.
Bengals' Joe Burrow replacement No. 1: Trey Lance/Sam Darnold, 49ers
You're guess is as good as mine as to what's going to happen with the San Francisco 49ers quarterback room in training camp.
Coming along quicker in his recovery from an offseason UCL surgery, most indications have Brock Purdy penciled in as the starter for the Niners, but that still leaves two former first-round picks in Trey Lance and Sam Darnold on the depth chart.
Given the crippling injury issues that the 49ers had last year — most notably in the NFC Championship Game — at quarterback, it would be hard to fault them for not wanting to part with either Lance or Darnold in a trade before the start of the regular season. Having said that, smart business would say it'd be in their best interest to do so, especially if a team like the Bengals is calling about replacing Joe Burrow.
Darnold, for his many faults, remains extremely talented and teams have continued to hold out hope that he might finally put it together. Betting on him to do so in the loaded Cincinnati offense would give him the best opportunity to accomplish that that the quarterback has had in his career.
In the case of Lance, there is so much projection going on with the former North Dakota State star, but the flashes he provided in limited work (and less than ideal conditions) at the start of last year prior to getting hurt were enticing.
Trading with the 49ers would be the gambling man's option for the Bengals, which is perhaps the best move for Cincinnati if it's a truly substantial amount of time that Joe Burrow is going to miss with the calf/leg injury — something like being out for the whole season. It's a bet that one of these former highly drafted quarterbacks can take advantage of the talent around them and still lift Cincinnati into the playoff picture.
And with the glut at quarterback in San Francisco, that gamble might not be too costly, which is obviously equally as enticing.
