Joe Flacco made a total of 10 starts in 2025. Six of those came with the Bengals following his in-season trade from Cleveland to Cincinnati.
The Bengals still have Joe Burrow in place, but their preference at the backup spot would be to retain Flacco. It appears that feeling is mutual. Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports Flacco will “strongly consider” a new Cincinnati deal while weighing his free agent options.
Pelissero cautions that Flacco’s top priority will be a situation which provides him with the opportunity to compete for a starting gig. Unless one emerges, a return to the Bengals would make sense. Burrow’s career has been marred by numerous injuries, and additional familiarity with the team would help Flacco operate Cincinnati’s offense. With few surefire QB1 options set to move this week, this situation will be one to watch.
One of the potential outside suitors to watch on the Flacco front may be Atlanta. The Falcons could be in play, per Tony Grossi of The Land on Demand. Kirk Cousins will be released once the new league year begins on Wednesday, ending his two-year tenure. Michael Penix Jr. is in place, but as he recovers from a partial ACL tear it remains to be seen if a return to 100% in time for Week 1 will be possible. At least one veteran addition can be expected as a result.
Flacco has amassed 217 combined regular and postseason starts over the course of his career. Since the trade which ended his Baltimore tenure, the former Super Bowl MVP has seen game action with the Broncos, Jets, Browns, Colts and Bengals. At the age of 41, he remains focused on playing as long as possible even if a QB2 role is the likeliest outcome for 2026 and beyond.
Cincinnati is currently in much better shape than Atlanta in terms of cap space. That could prove to be a factor for Flacco, although the opportunity for playing time will no doubt be atop the priority list in his case. A Falcons deal would reunite him with head coach Kevin Stefanski, but in the absence of one an extended Bengals stint could be in store.
This content was brought to you by: Pro Football Rumors
