Bengals: 3 Joe Burrow replacements to add if QB misses serious time

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.