Bengals lock up Joe Burrow's backup plan

The Cincinnati Bengals have officially locked up Joe Burrow's backup plan, as the team signed quarterback Jake Browning to a new, two-year contract that extends through the 2025 season.

Browning had never taken a snap in the NFL prior to last season, but he was thrust into action due to Burrow's season-ending wrist injury, and he did decently.

In nine games (seven starts) for Cincinnati last season, Browning threw for 1,936 yards and 12 touchdowns (compared to seven interceptions), while completing 70 percent of his passes. In the process, he obviously proved enough to the Bengals that they decided to keep him around.

But, while Browning's play was promising, the organizational hope is that he'll have to play [much] less than he did last season due to Burrow being healthy. Nonetheless, it's good to have a solid backup plan in place, as Burrow has been limited to just 10 games in two of his four seasons in the league so far. As a result, having a backup QB comfortable with the team and system is wise.

Browning not lacking for confidence

When it comes to Browning, one thing that clearly isn't lacking is confidence. After the way he played last season, Browning feels like he's good enough to start somewhere.

"I think that I've established that I'm capable of being a starter in the NFL," Browning said at the conclusion of last season. "It's obviously a weird situation where I feel like I'm one of the top 32 quarterbacks in the world, and I just so happen to be on a roster with a guy who has proven to be a top five quarterback in the world."

Hopefully Burrow doesn't have to miss any time next season, but if he does, Browning will be ready to step up for Cincinnati.