Cincinnati Bengals fans weren't exactly bummed to see Jake Browning leave this offseason. After all, the team had re-signed Joe Flacco as Joe Burrow's backup and Browning proved last year that he wasn't as reliable as a backup as fans had hoped for.
Browning signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the consensus was that he was going to back up Baker Mayfield in 2026. Undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels had something to say about that though. The Kansas alum balled out during the preseason and was so good for the Bucs that the team gave him the QB2 job, which meant that Browning was sent packing.
Jake Browning lost expected Buccaneers role to undrafted rookie
We touched on this over a month ago when Daniels first surfaced as a potential threat to take Browning's job. At the time, it still seemed like a bit of a long shot, as Daniels went undrafted and was virtually an unknown name. Browning had experience as a backup and felt like the likely winner in the QB2 race. That's not how things played out though.
Browning is now without a job and, while he should get picked up by another team in need of quarterback depth, it's not a good sign for the former Bengal that he was just beaten out by an undrafted player. Browning went into Tampa with the QB2 job all but locked up and it slipped from his grasp... Plus, it doesn't sound like the competition was even all that close.
Josh Crysler of The Pewter Plank, FanSided's Buccaneers site, said it best after recapping the news.
"It became apparent that Daniels had significantly more upside than Browning, forcing the team into a difficult choice at backup quarterback that they never expected to have to make. If they didn’t keep the rookie on the active roster, he’d have to clear waivers, and he simply wasn’t going to go unclaimed after the impressive play he put on tape."
Jake Browning went from QB2 lock to searching for a new NFL home
Daniels was never going to clear waivers, and with Browning declining the Bucs' offer to remain on their practice squad, he'll be in search of a new NFL home. It probably won't be in Cincinnati either, as the Bengals already have Burrow and Flacco on the 53-man roster and Browning clearly doesn't want to be on a practice squad.
It'll be interesting to see where the former Bengals quarterback ends up. Will he land a backup job in the NFL? Or will he end up having to settle for a practice squad spot with another team?
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