Throughout the summer leading up to the regular season, we will go through the entire 2024 Cincinnati Bengals roster. Every single day until the season opener against the New England Patriots , we will break down a player on the roster including his background, contract status, and path towards making the team.
Today, we look at the first roster lock of the series in quarterback Jake Browning. If you were to give Browning that descriptor a year ago, people would undoubtedly look at you funny. The Bengals' backup QB is one of the best examples of how anything in the NFL can change in such little time.
Jake Browning
- Age: 28
- Year: 6th
- Position: Quarterback
- College: Washington
- Previous Teams: Minnesota Vikings
- Jersey Number: 6
Browning originally signed with the Vikings as an undrafted free agent following the 2019 NFL Draft. He was a four-year starter at Washington who set a program and PAC-12 record with 39 wins. Plenty of those wins came in 2016 when he led the Huskies to the College Football Playoff along with wide receiver John Ross, whom the Bengals drafted in the first round after that season. Browning went on to become the school's all-time leading passer as he ranks first in attempts (1,483), completions (958), yards (12,296) and touchdowns (94).
Despite his extensive college resume, Browning spent the first two years of his career on Minnesota's practice squad. His time up north ran out in 2021 as he was waived during final cuts before his third season. Coincidentally, the Bengals were scheduled to play the Vikings in Week 1, which ended up being a factor in signing Browning to the practice squad . Browning impressed Cincinnati enough following that week to keep him around for the entire 2021 season, and bring him back for the same practice squad role in 2022.
Four years of biding his time would soon pay off for Browning as he emerged as the Bengals' No. 2 QB entering the 2023 season. It was an important year to win the backup job as injuries would plague Joe Burrow's season. He made his regular season debut in Week 1, but the next game he played in Week 11 mattered a lot more as it was the night Burrow went down with his season-ending wrist injury. He struggled mightily in first career start a week later, but showed soon afterwards he was more capable than expected.
From Week 13-18, Browning would help the Bengals close the year out with a 4-2 record thanks to 1,641 passing yards, 10 touchdowns to six interceptions, while completing 71.3% of his passes and a yards/attempt of 8.1. Cincinnati managed to alter its scheme to make Browning more comfortable under center, and the career backup started turning heads around the NFL. He's now considered one of the best reserve passers in the league , and the Bengals rewarded him this offseason for his new status.
Contract details
Browing signed a two-year, $1,945,000 deal with the Bengals back in April that will pay him the minimum salary for a player with his level of experience (Browning has only accrued one year of experience).
His salary will cost $915,00 for the entire season if he's kept on the team for the entire regular season, and his cap hit for the year is the same amount.
Roster chances
There's nothing really to say here. Browning is locked in as Burrow's backup for this season and likely next season as well. As an exclusive rights free agent this offseason, Browning could've been forced to sign a one-year tender offer from the Bengals as he wasn't eligible for true free agency. The Bengals opted to give Browning a two-year deal instead. That added length can be viewed as added security as well.
Having Browning in the fold with the knowledge that he can step in and keep the offense afloat is a luxury the Bengals haven't had since drafting Burrow four years ago. That's worth more than any draft pick they could've gotten by trading him. Fellow backups Logan Woodside and Rocky Lombardi will have to compete for the role Browning graduated from last year.
The QB2 spot is Browning's to keep.
Chances of making the roster: 100%
Previous player breakdowns
Related: Bengals Roster Breakdown: Rocky Lombardi arrives at firmly established quarterback room in Cincinnati
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