Zac Taylor is playing a dangerous game by not making the most obvious move at quarterback in trading for Jameis Winston. This season is already unravelling and with Jake Browning under center, things are spinning out of control quickly. This isn’t the same Browning that filled in for Joe Burrow back in 2023.
That Browning is long gone and Taylor sticking with this version of Browning will cause the Brown family to seriously think about the future of the Cincinnati Bengals. Browning has just one win since taking over for Burrow and he didn’t even start that game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the very game Burrow got hurt in.
Since he’s taken over as starter, Browning has just 506 passing yards with three touchdown passes and five interceptions thrown. This offense is too good to be wasting it away with a quarterback like Browning. In his two starts, Browning has led the offense to one touchdown drive.
Taylor needs to realize a chance needs to be made or it will be the beginning of his downfall. He calls the plays in Cincinnati, which only amplifies the teams’ struggles. Once Burrow went down with an injury there was some slight optimism with Browning. That has since faded and continuing to rock with Browning will only hurt this team.
The Bengals ignoring the obvious solution to their quarterback problem is alarming
It’s not just Taylor that makes the call obviously, but between him and Duke Tobin, director of player personnel, there has to be some discussion about adding a cheap, temporary option at quarterback right? Winston makes too much sense. While he will turn the ball over like Browning’s done, at least you know he will throw for 500 yards and four touchdowns per game too.
This offense is almost too perfect for Winston in the sense that he has two elite weapons to get the ball to and a running back that’s good enough to break up the offense a little bit. After two-and-a-half games, Taylor should have seen enough from Browning. Why he continues to think Browning will turn things around doesn’t make sense.
If I’m Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, I’m livid that Taylor and this front office hasn’t appeared to rethink their quarterback options. They could very well be discussing it behind closed doors, but the perception is they’re sticking with Browning and it’s getting them further out of playoff contention.
Could Jake Browning’s poor play cost Zac Taylor his job?
It’s something to think about. The Bengals aren’t known to make knee-jerk decisions about their coaches. We all know Marvin Lewis stayed at the helm way too long, which leads me to believe the Bengals won’t just fire Taylor because of injuries affecting the season. He’d need years of mediocrity before the Bengals fired him.
That said, the Bengals knew they needed to change from their traditional ways this past offseason, which is why they have one of the most expensive offenses in the NFL and why they made sure they retained Trey Hendrickson in the eleventh hour. So maybe they could be changing their philosophies with their coaching staff as well.
The Bengals’ championship window is rapidly closing and maybe they feel Taylor is no longer the best option based on how he’s handling the quarterback situation. I would be shocked, but it wouldn’t be a bad decision. This team needs a competent quarterback and whoever’s call it is to stay with Browning should get fired.
If that’s Taylor then so be it. And if it’s not, he’ll ultimately end up being the fall guy as he’s completely in control of the offense. The Bengals can’t continue to rely on Browning if they want to even get close to competing for a playoff spot. They’re 2-2 and have lost the last two games after starting 2-0.
I’m not saying Winston is the only quarterback that will lead this team to the playoffs, but he’s talented enough to elevate this offense. The Bengals were going to be a team that needed their offense to win the game. That’s not happening with Browning and Winston seems like the best, low cost option to get this offense back on track. Sticking with Browning is accepting 2025 as a failed season.