Spoiler alert incoming. Quarterback Joe Burrow made the Cincinnati Bengals’ 53-man roster. But as some of you (okay, all of you) correctly predicted, he was not the only quarterback to make the team. The other Joe, Joe Flacco, also made it as QB2.
Some thought the team might keep a third QB in veteran Josh Johnson, who performed admirably in this preseason. Alas, that didn't happen, as he was an unfortunate part of cutdown day. Fortunately, he is back with the Bengals on the practice squad.
However, we can confidently say that there was no consideration of keeping four quarterbacks on the 53-man roster. That obviously wasn't the case for every team in the NFL, including two of Cincinnati's divisional rivals, as some teams kept four quarterbacks on their initial roster.
Bengals outnumbered at QB in AFC North
As Mike Florio reported, among others, the Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles, and the Minnesota Vikings all kept four quarterbacks on their initial roster.
The Browns couldn't keep the main thing the main thing and held on to Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel, and Taylen Green. Cleveland did what Cleveland does by naming Watson as their QB1 to begin this season.Â
Surely his record-breaking, fully guaranteed $230 million contract had nothing to do with that. Still, we saw nothing this preseason that suggested he deserved one of the 32 starting gigs in the NFL.
The good news for Cleveland, if you wish to look at it in a positive light, is that Gabriel will begin this season on IR, opening up a roster spot. However, the Browns expect him to return, leaving the team with the possibility of having four QBs on the active roster at some point this season.
The polyamorous Steelers are rolling into the season with Aaron Rodgers as the starter. Behind him are Mason Rudolph, last year's sixth-round pick Will Howard, and this year's third-round pick Drew Allar.
The draft investment in Allar as the 76th overall pick almost guaranteed him a place on Pittsburgh's roster. And they must've liked enough of what they saw from second-year quarterback Howard not to risk losing him on the waiver wire. Just not enough to put a promise ring on it.
Rudolph is a vested veteran, meaning he would not have been subject to waivers and could've signed with any team if the Steelers had released him.
Meanwhile, the Baltimore Ravens are going with three quarterbacks of their own. Lamar Jackson remains the starter, with Tyler Huntley and Joe Fagnano backing him up.
Two is enough in Cincy
Cincinnati enters the 2026 season with two quarterbacks on their roster. However, we truly hope that only one will see the field outside of what the kids affectionately call garbage time. And as much as we loved his performance last season, we hope we don't see Flacco at all in 2026 except for mop-up duty.
By going with only two QBs, the Bengals kept critical depth and special teams pieces. They also showed the utmost confidence in their quarterback situation, which their rivals don't appear to have in theirs.
Perhaps this is a good time for the national media to question how efficiently the Ravens, Browns, and especially the Steelers build their rosters compared to the Bengals. But please, don't hold your breath.
As the adage goes, if you have two quarterbacks, you don't have any. Well, we might need a new proverb for teams with four quarterbacks.
And like an unfulfilling season of the bachelor, hopefully, the Steelers and Browns won't find a suitable answer at the most important position among the eight options between the two teams.
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