Bengals might have a one-of-one rival quarterback to fear (someday)

The Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns often leave the football-loving state of Ohio wondering what they did to deserve such perpetual ineptitude.

Thankfully, the tide has turned for the Bengals in recent years, but they aren't some perfect, well-oiled, first-class football operation. Joe Burrow has, in essence, willed them out of their comfort zones and into NFL relevancy.

Then there are the Browns. They continue to be a laughingstock. And now they're debating between the walking disgrace that is Deshaun Watson and totally-deserving Pro Bowler Shedeur Sanders as their starting quarterback for 2026. Watson has the inside track, perhaps so Cleveland can try to somewhat justify the worst trade in football history.

Waiting in the wings, however, is a rookie sixth-round pick with some of the most impressive physical tools the sport has ever seen at the QB position.

Browns QB Taylen Green exudes supreme confidence and could (eventually) be a major problem for Bengals

Parenthetical qualifiers are necessary when discussing Taylen Green. He went in the sixth round of the draft at No. 182 overall for a reason. Well, several reasons. He's not the most accurate passer. His footwork is all over the place. Despite four solid years of starting experience at Boise State and Arkansas, Green didn't progress as much as he probably should have.

...And yet, this man just has athletic gifts that cannot be taught. In a rather unspectacular QB class, it was surprising to see Green fall as far as he did in the draft. Because my goodness, is he impressive.

Speaking from Browns minicamp to Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot, the 6'6" freak show underscored how much of a one-of-one QB he is compared to some of the league's elites. Asked if anyone compares to his potential or ceiling, Green was borderline defiant:

"To be honest, no...I would say of course Lamar, but he ain’t 6'6". Josh Allen is close, but I’m 230. He’s like 260. My dad says Randall Cunningham-ish. I really don’t think there’s anybody like me. Not in a like cocky (way) or anything, just some confidence. There’s nobody that moves like me, that’s as tall as me."

Narrator: Josh Allen is, in fact, listed at 237 pounds.

Whatever. Let's not get facts get in the way of the main point Green is getting across. We'll give the 23-year-old strapping lad some grace.

Green isn't wrong otherwise. He lit up the Combine with a 4.36-second 40-yard dash, an 11'2" broad jump and a ridiculous 43.5-inch vertical.

Browns head coach Todd Monken acknowledged that Green has a ways to go to tighten up his throwing motion, and even simple procedural things like cadence. That said, it's quite something that Monken already highlighted Green's capacity to learn and work through progressions as strengths.

Taylen Green gives off some serious Anthony Richardson vibes, except he has a lot more college snaps under his belt, as opposed to Richardson's one year of starting experience at Florida.

Does that mean Green has already hit a ceiling of sorts? Or does he just need an NFL environment to truly get the most out of his seemingly limitless upside? That will really determine how good he can be, as will the mere opportunities he gets for reps.

To be honest, at this point, Watson should just be a good soldier and veteran mentor to Sanders and Green. Dude doesn't even deserve to be in the league. What good does it do for Cleveland to start him, give him the vast majority of the reps, and hinder the devleopment of both Snaders and Green?

This X/Twitter post from ESPN's Benjamin Solak summarizes the Browns' stupidity very well indeed:

But hey, Cleveland, you keep do you. Keep giving all the tread to a quarterback who NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has referred to as "predatory." I'm sure that'll end well on all fronts.

I'm a football purist and want to see greatness. Just not against the Bengals. And the Browns are already sabotaging Taylen Green's NFL trajectory by their foolish choice to roll with Watson as QB1, thus relegating Green to obvious QB3 status.

It'd be one thing if Sanders started, got hurt, and Cleveland thrust Watson into duty, as opposed to exposing Green as a rookie. That makes sense. Green still wouldn't get many reps behind Sanders as the backup, but heck, he'd get more than he's slated to as a third-stringer.

Anyway, glad the Bengals don't have to worry about Green sooner than 2027. Because my goodness, if he comes close to hitting his ceiling, look out.

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