Jake Browning signs one-year deal with Buccaneers as Bengals’ backup plan shifts for 2026
jake browning is planning to sign a one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a move that changes the immediate backup quarterback picture in Cincinnati and gives Tampa Bay a new option behind Baker Mayfield.
What happens next for Jake Browning in Tampa Bay?
Jeremy Fowler of said Jake Browning plans to sign with Tampa Bay on a one-year deal, bringing a new backup quarterback into the Buccaneers’ room. The available details point to a role backing up Baker Mayfield, with Jake Browning now headed to Florida after spending multiple seasons in Cincinnati.
Jake Browning’s recent starting opportunities in Cincinnati have been closely tied to injuries to Joe Burrow. His longest starting stint came in 2023 after Burrow suffered a significant wrist injury. In that stretch, Browning completed 70. 4 percent of his passes for 1, 936 yards with 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions, and the Bengals went 4-3 across his seven starts.
In 2025, the results in his starts were less favorable. After another Burrow injury, Browning completed 64. 8 percent of his passes for 771 yards with six touchdowns and eight interceptions while going 0-3 in three starts. Cincinnati then traded for Joe Flacco, who started the remainder of the run until Burrow returned.
What happens when Cincinnati moves on from its recent No. 2 option?
Jake Browning’s departure leaves Cincinnati needing a backup quarterback behind Joe Burrow. The Bengals did not put a restricted tender on Browning, which opened the door for him to sign elsewhere as a free agent. In 2025, Browning posted a 35. 1 QBR, along with a 64. 8% completion rate, six touchdowns, and eight interceptions across five appearances.
Cincinnati had been open to Browning returning as its No. 3 quarterback, but the one-year agreement with Tampa Bay closes that path for 2026 planning. The situation also keeps attention on Joe Flacco’s status. Flacco remains a free agent, and Cincinnati is hopeful it can re-sign him.
Tom Pelissero of NFL Network shared an update on Flacco’s outlook, writing that Flacco wants an opportunity to at least compete for a starting job. The same post added that if Flacco is a backup, he would strongly consider a return to Cincinnati, where he filled in for Joe Burrow last fall and made his first Pro Bowl.
Across the league, quarterback moves have continued, with the Falcons and Dolphins making moves at quarterback, along with the Jets and Vikings. Even with that activity, the immediate takeaway for Cincinnati is straightforward: Jake Browning is gone, and the Bengals’ depth behind Burrow is set to look different in 2026.
What if this one-year deal becomes a pivot point for both teams?
For Tampa Bay, the addition of Jake Browning is a clear depth move: a quarterback with starting experience in multiple seasons, now positioned behind Baker Mayfield. For Cincinnati, the one-year deal underscores how quickly quarterback depth charts can change when performance, injuries, and roster decisions intersect.
Jake Browning’s 2023 stretch showed he could step in and help steady a team through a multi-game absence, while 2025 showed the downside risk when results tilt the other way. That contrast is part of what makes this signing notable: Tampa Bay is betting that Browning can provide insurance behind its starter, while Cincinnati must now finalize a new backup plan behind Burrow without him in the room.
