The Cincinnati Bengals currently have four quarterbacks on the roster. Most teams opt to only carry three QBs once the regular season gets rolling, meaning the Bengals will likely cut undrafted rookie Payton Thorne. They could opt to cut Desmond Ridder instead. Nevertheless, cutting Thorne seems more likely, and after Joe Burrow's surprising preseason announcement, this possibility seems even more likely.
#Bengals coach Zac Taylor tells reporters that QB Joe Burrow and other big name players will play several series on Thursday night and more in game two against the #Commanders. New way of doing it, with eyes on starting fast.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 5, 2025
Is Joe Burrow playing in preseason Week 1?
Recently, it was announced that Burrow and the Bengals' other starters will play several series in their first preseason game, against the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday. Head coach Zac Taylor mentioned the starters will play more in Cincinnati's second preseason game against the Washington Commanders.
Taylor believes playing his starters in preseason action will help the team avoid a slow start in the regular season. While this is an uncommon strategy, it could benefit the Bengals, who are just 1-11 in the first two weeks of the season under Taylor. Notably, between 2021 and 2023, Burrow didn't throw a single pass in preseason. He did throw seven passes last preseason, but it appears that he will get more reps this year.
Despite a slow start to the season for the team and an overall disappointing year, Burrow had an exceptional campaign. He threw for a league-best 4,918 yards and 43 touchdowns. Furthermore, Burrow finished fourth in MVP voting and won Comeback Player of the Year. Only time will tell if giving the starters extended preseason reps will be the tweak Cincinnati needs. Regardless, it's certainly worth trying given how slow starts have plagued the Bengals in recent years.
Not every Bengals player is happy about Joe Burrow's preseason plan
While this strategy could benefit the Bengals, it also poses an injury risk to Burrow and other starters. Furthermore, it will undoubtedly cost some fringe players their jobs, most notably one of the quarterbacks. As the fourth-string QB and an undrafted rookie, Payton Thorne's path to being rostered was already slim. Now, it seems improbable. Thorne did have a successful five-year college career at Auburn and Michigan State, but he's clearly the odd man out in the Bengals' QB room.
With just three preseason games, reps are hard enough to come by. Considering the starters playing isn't just a one-off occurrence, it will be extremely difficult for all of the Bengals' quarterbacks to get adequate reps. As a result, the Bengals will likely prioritize Jake Browning and Desmond Ridder over Thorne. A lack of reps could certainly cost Thorne a chance to prove that he's a suitable backup QB.
Browning filled in for Burrow when he went down with an injury in 2023, and Ridder has started 18 games across his three-year career. These two QBs are proven quality backups than Thorne, and unfortunately, he likely won't be able to show otherwise in preseason.