The Cincinnati Bengals got off to a strong start as they kicked off the season with a 33-27 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at home.
While Tampa Bay clawed back and made it a close game late, it was an encouraging season debut for a team with Super Bowl aspirations.
The team’s aggressive offseason moves appear to have paid off during the season opener; however, one of the team’s additions is now being linked to a possible move to an NFC contender.
Cincinnati Bengals Quarterback Deemed Fit for Seattle Seahawks
Josh Johnson, who the Cincinnati Bengals signed this offseason while Joe Flacco was mulling his options in the free agent market, returned to the team via the practice squad. And while his veteran experience and potential to be a third-string emergency quarterback is useful for Cincinnati, he can still be poached by another team if it moves him to its active roster.
As a result, Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay has linked him to a move to the Seattle Seahawks, who recently saw their starting quarterback Sam Darnold go down with a hip injury during the team’s opening game against the New England Patriots.
Kay wrote: “Seattle will want to be proactive and bring in another quarterback as insurance for backup Drew Lock.
Given their aspirations of joining the Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs as the only back-to-back champs of the 21st century, the Seahawks should prioritize acquiring a proven player over a raw young passer. Josh Johnson, a grizzled 19-year veteran, fits the bill perfectly. Although he’s currently on the Cincinnati Bengals’ practice squad, the Seahawks could pluck him off and add him to the active roster as their QB3.
Johnson offers an extensive amount of experience stemming from his time playing for 14 different teams since entering the league as fifth-round pick in the 2008 draft. He linked up with the Washington Commanders last season and did well in his first action since the 2021 campaign, going 1-1 across two starts while completing 63 percent of his throws for 372 yards and a touchdown on the year. Johnson also added 55 yards and a score on 12 totes.
Although Johnson wouldn’t be pressed into action unless Lock goes down and second-year developmental project Jalen Milroe is either injured or ineffective after taking the reins, he’s the type of steady old hand the Seahawks can trust if things go from bad to worse over these next few weeks.”
Cincinnati Bengals Quarterback Room
Finding another quarterback with Johnson’s experience for the practice squad may be a tough task for the Bengals.
Johnson was a fifth-round pick by the Buccaneers in the 2009 NFL Draft. He appeared in 25 games for them over three years and started five games. Since then, Johnson has been on seven different NFL teams, including two different stints with the Commanders, with whom he most recently played for in the 2025 season. Johnson was also out of the NFL in the 2019 and 2020 seasons as he played football in the Alliance of American Football and the XFL
He has totaled over $14 million in career earnings, according to Spotrac.
Bengals $14 Million Talent Tabbed to Join NFC Contender