The Cincinnati Bengals may have a backup quarterback problem this offseason.
Jake Browning never found his footing offensively last year, forcing Cincinnati to make an unusual mid-season trade to acquire Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco. Flacco played very well despite only winning one game.
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However, Flacco sounds like a guy who at least wants a chance to stay on the field. He’s smart enough to know that this wouldn’t have happened to the Bengals if Joe Burrow hadn’t been injured. That means he’ll likely want to land somewhere where he can compete for the starting job.
Enter a recent visit to the NFL Scouting Combine in Cincinnati: Baylor Bears QB Sawyer Robertson.
Coming out of Baylor, Robertson is what you’d expect from a mid-to-late quarterback with backup potential.
You can see the sparkle you want to see from him. He throws a nice touch pass in his stride or hits a back-shoulder route away from defenders with good positioning. He’s also a big man who can run for free yards, which is about the basic level of athleticism required in today’s NFL.
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These questions mainly involve technology. His throwing motion is slow, which won’t work at the NFL level. He also struggled to maintain consistency in his technique, which led to accuracy issues. Some also pointed to the difficulties of real progress.
These are questions that NFL coaches can help solve. Fortunately, in Cincinnati, he won’t have to compete for the starting job. That way he can focus on development.
Well, that is, if Burrow doesn’t get injured, which unfortunately happens more often than anyone would like. That means Robertson shouldn’t be drafted as the guy to “solve” the backup quarterback situation. He could eventually be the solution, but he’s not ready in 2026 if needed.
