The Cincinnati Bengals have bolstered their quarterback options by signing Josh Johnson to a one-year deal for the upcoming season.
The veteran quarterback has featured in 50 regular-season NFL games, making 11 starts for various teams including the Buccaneers, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Washington, the New York Jets, Baltimore, and San Francisco.
Johnson has thrown for 2,669 yards and 14 touchdowns, also rushing for 481 yards and two touchdowns.
Johnson’s Previous Stints with Cincinnati
Johnson previously played for the Bengals in 2013, appearing in two games. He also spent time with the team in 2015 but did not play in any games.
The Bengals’ quarterback situation changed recently when Jake Browning signed with Tampa Bay earlier this week, leaving Cincinnati needing to add two quarterbacks.
Johnson’s arrival offers a backup option for Joe Burrow, particularly during the offseason program.
The Qualities of a Backup Quarterback
Bengals offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher has spoken about the qualities the team looks for in a backup quarterback.
Pitcher stated at the 2026 NFL Combine that while the traits of a good starting quarterback are also desirable in a backup, the role is unique. According to Pitcher, a backup quarterback needs to be intrinsically motivated and understand the specific demands of the position.
“Because you have to have a guy that’s very intrinsically motivated, somebody that can just go to work and do the work day in and day out because they know it’s the right thing to do, and because they can get themselves to a place mentally where ‘I might have to play at any given moment, but I also may not play all year.’ And that’s different than any other position in the building.
“Because everybody else usually has some way, shape, or form to affect the game. Obviously, a backup quarterback is going to play in practice, so they’re going to affect the team that way. So there’s a mentality that goes with that. There’s a maturity that goes with that. And then you balance that against a guy who might have traits that you see being able to develop and grow, and maybe at some point become a starting quarterback in this league. Do you go in free agency to try to achieve that goal? Do you go in the draft? Well, you look at all of it. You just decide what’s going to be best for the team based on what type of resources you want to allocate, and you just try to find somebody who fits.”
Bengals Active in Free Agency
Cincinnati have signed four exterior free agents this week.
The Bengals are awaiting the status of Joe Flacco in free agency.