The Cincinnati Bengals have retained the services of stalwart No. 2 quarterback Jake Browning as they re-signed him to a two-year exclusive rights deal, the team announced Tuesday.
Browning played an excellent role in relief of an injured Joe Burrow during the 2023 season. Browning, 28, totaled 1,936 yards with 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions, giving him a passer rating of 98, 4. Cincinnati went 4-3 with Browning at center.
We have re-signed the exclusive rights of QB Jake Browning to a two-year contract through the 2025 season.
– Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) April 23, 2024
Its advanced metrics are even more impressive. Small sample size, but here’s a look at where Browning ranks among qualified QB seasons over the past two years (95 individual qualified seasons) using these metrics via TruMedia and Sports Info Solutions:
- Expected Points Added (EPA) by dropback
- Passing grade
- Total QB EPA
- Percentage of success consistent with objective
- Capturable success percentage
EPA Settings
Year | player | EPA/DB | Psr Rt | Total EPA |
---|---|---|---|---|
2023 |
0.09 (19) |
98.4 (15) |
25.6 (26) |
Targeted/capturable percentages
Year | Player | HAVE% | Rank | Ctch% | Rank |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2023 |
77.4 |
20 |
91.7 |
1 |
The Bengals apparently liked what they saw and you can’t blame them.
It’s quite common for a team to hold on to an eligible player on an exclusive rights deal, which is a contract for a player with fewer than three seasons accrued on a contract expiring the previous season. These agreements also typically last for one year. Adding a second year to the contract shows that the Bengals were unwilling to let Browning leave in the near future.
Browning went undrafted after a successful college career at Washington. He joined the Minnesota Vikings in 2019, but never made the 53-man roster. The Bengals signed Browning to the practice squad in 2021 and he has worked his way up to backup status.
Bengals reward Browning
The Bengals have done well thanks to Browning, who proved himself in relief of Burrow last year. Browning was an exclusive free agent set to make $915,000 over the minimum during his breakout year. Instead, Cincinnati added the safety at the backup spot with an extra year, providing Browning with more money in the meantime. The confidence the staff and players have in Browning after what he has done over the last month and a half of the season has been an easy investment that gives Cincinnati one of the best starter and backup combos in the NFL. — Paul Dehner Jr., Bengals beat writer
Required reading
(Photo: Ryan Kang/Getty Images)