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The Cincinnati Bengals likely have a backup quarterback problem going into the offseason.
Last year, Jake Browning never found his footing offensively, which forced Cincinnati into making an uncharacteristic trade during the season to acquire Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco. Flacco played very well despite only winning a single game.
However, Flacco sounds like a guy who at least wants an opportunity to still be out on the field. He is smart enough to know that won’t happen with the Bengals without an injury to Joe Burrow. That means he likely wants to land where he can compete to start.
Enter the most recent visit Cincinnati conducted at the NFL Scouting Combine: Baylor Bears QB Sawyer Robertson.
Robertson is coming out of Baylor, and he’s kind of what you expect out of a mid to late round quarterback with the potential of being a backup.
You can see flashes of what you’d like to see from him. He throws a nice touch pass in stride or hits a back shoulder route with good placement away from defenders. He is also a big guy who can pick up free yards running, which is about the base level of athleticism you need in the NFL nowadays.
The problems deal mostly with technique. His throwing motions are slow, which just won’t do at the NFL level. He also struggles with consistency with his mechanics that leads to accuracy issues. Some have also noted trouble going through a true progression.
These are issues NFL coaches can help with. Fortunately, in Cincinnati, he isn’t going to have to be forced to compete for a starting job. So he can focus on developing.
Well, that is to say if Burrow doesn’t get injured, which unfortunately has happened more than anyone would like. That means Robertson shouldn’t be drafted as the “fix” to the backup quarterback problem. He could eventually become the solution, but he wouldn’t be ready in 2026 if called on.