Don’t look for Bengals to replace Brandon Allen

Drew Plitt had the best game of the Bengals backup quarterbacks in the team’s preseason opener. He provided a spark and the best passing highlights of the game.

Still, it appears the team isn’t looking to take any risks when it comes to QB2. They are still satisfied with Brandon Allen, who is entering his third year in Zac Taylor’s system, according to Bengals.com’s Geoff Hobson. “The coaches love Brandon Allen,” said the senior writer.

Hobson mentioned Allen’s prolific day against the Houston Texans in 2020—in which he completed 29 of 37 passes for 371 yards and two touchdowns—before saying:

“He’s not going to do [what he did against the Texans] every time out. But... I think he’s a competent guy... Could he win enough games to get you to the playoffs? Who knows? If he was good enough, he’d be playing somewhere. He wouldn’t be a backup.”

So far this year, the seven-year vet has had a less-than-dazzling camp but connected on all three pass attempts for 29 yards passing before leaving the game against the Arizona Cardinals with a concussion. Jake Browning then came in and went 13/24 for 190 yards and zero touchdowns.

Plitt, meanwhile, had a perfect QB rating of 158.3, going 6/6 for 76 yards and a touchdown. The undrafted rookie free agent out of Ball State was the only Cincinnati QB to not take a sack.

So we asked Hobson if Plitt has a chance of backing up Joe Burrow. You can watch the interview below:

Here’s part of what Hobson had to say about shaking up the QB room:

“I don’t think so. No. It’s Brandon Allen as a backup. I think there’s a far enough distance between [Plitt and Browning] and Brandon Allen that they would not consider that. Although maybe Plitt could play his way onto the practice squad. Could Plitt beat out Browning? Browning’s been in the league four years. Plitt was on the street when Joe [Burrow] got his appendix out. So that’s how those guys are viewed. I think a lot would have to happen the next couple weeks if the Bengals quarterback room as we know it is shuffled.”

The conversation then shifted to bringing in a veteran quarterback. Hobson had this to say:

“I don’t know how you can afford that... For what they can afford at that spot, [Allen] is probably about as good as they can do, because he knows the system inside and out.”

Listen to the entire interview on iTunes or using the player below: