Bengals have multiple QB options to add to roster

The Bengals should look to other NFL teams practice squads to add a veteran or another quarterback to develop after losing Joe Burrow for the season and maybe longer on Sunday.

The loss of Bengals franchise quarterback Joe Burrow for the remainder of the 2020 NFL season and potentially into the 2021 season was a devastating development for a franchise that has had many.

Practice squads of other NFL teams have opportunities to add a veteran QB or other signal-callers to develop for the future.

Letting Andy Dalton leave through free agency cost the Bengals a veteran presence in the locker room, a potential mentor to Burrow and backup QB Ryan Finley and an insurance policy with the injury the Burrow did occur. There was no foresight on a potential injury or if Burrow would have missed time to illness.

In the age of COVID-19, the Bengals should have prepared much better. It would be surprising to see Cincinnati inquire about a QB on another team’s practice squad. The Bengals have multiple options and having a veteran presence or a QB they can develop behind Burrow with his now uncertainty would help for the future.

Finley was a fourth-round pick by the Bengals in the 2019 NFL Draft. The Bengals signed QB Brandon Allen during the offseason and made them one of their four protected players on their practice squad in September. After the injury to Burrow on Sunday, Allen was elevated to the active roster on Monday.

Allen started three games for the Denver Broncos in 2019 and Finley started three for the Bengals. Adding a veteran presence at QB to the roster would help mentor Allen and Finley. The other option of adding a QB with upside to develop as a backup to Burrow in the future to challenge Allen or Finley is another option.