Joe Flacco trade: Bengals did not call Giants about Jameis Winston or Russell Wilson, per report
Cincinnati made a surprising QB trade with a division rival on Tuesday
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The Cincinnati Bengals have a new quarterback, as they acquired Joe Flacco from the Cleveland Browns in a trade that includes a fifth- and sixth-round pick swap. Zac Taylor is done with Jake Browning after his three straight losses, as ESPN reports the Bengals would like Flacco to start this Sunday at the Green Bay Packers.
It's surprising that the Browns traded their former starting quarterback to a rival that is attempting to remain alive in the race for the AFC North, but it's just as surprising that the Bengals targeted a 40-year-old to replace Browning instead of someone else like Kirk Cousins of the Atlanta Falcons or one of the experienced backups on the New York Giants.
Three reasons why the Joe Flacco trade actually makes sense for the Bengals
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According to SNY, the Bengals did not call the Giants about trading for Jameis Winston or Russell Wilson. Winston has not played a snap this season, while Wilson was benched for first-round rookie Jaxson Dart following an 0-3 start. If it were up to Bengals fans, they may have chosen Winston -- the 31-year-old boom-or-bust deep-ball thrower that could potentially get the most out of star wideouts Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Instead, the Bengals landed on Flacco.
Flacco is set to become the fourth quarterback ever to start for two teams in the same division in the same season. The last time this happened was Kyle Orton in 2011 with the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs.
The NFL trade deadline is less than a month away, and we have now seen our first big in-season quarterback trade. It remains to be seen if Wilson or Winston is available, and how much the Giants would like in return for them.
