The 2023 NFL season was the year of the backup quarterback. There were 66 different starting quarterbacks last season, over double the number of teams in the league. The AFC North was hit hard by QB injuries with Deshaun Watson, Joe Burrow, and Kenny Pickett all missing time and failing to finish the season as the starter. The Bengals got by with QB Jake Browning as their signal caller, and he led them to a 4-3 record. He was rewarded for those efforts with a two-year extension, per Adam Schefter on X.
Browning completed 171 passes on 243 attempts for 1,936 yards, 12 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. The Steelers handed him two of his three losses. Pittsburgh won 16-10 in Week 12 with Pickett at the helm, and then 34-11 in Week 16 with Mason Rudolph starting.
Outside of those two losses, he dropped the Week 17 game against the Kansas City Chiefs. He had some impressive wins against the Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Indianapolis Colts over that final stretch as the Bengals fell just short of qualifying for the playoffs. His single best game was against the Jaguars when he completed 32-of-37 passes for 354 yards and a touchdown.
Against the Steelers he struggled with a combined 47 completions on 68 attempts for 562 yards, two touchdowns, and four interceptions. Following the second loss to the Steelers, Browning admitted that the Steelers “kicked our ass.” The turnovers were the difference in that game with three interceptions in what ended up being a critical game for the Wild Card playoff standings.
In addition to signing Browning, the Bengals have signed QB Logan Woodside, who formerly played for the Atlanta Falcons and Tennessee Titans. He played under Arthur Smith for two years in Atlanta and his first year in Tennessee. He hasn’t played a whole lot, but has appeared in 13 total games, completing four passes on seven attempts for 34 yards.
