CINCINNATI (AP) — Cincinnati coach Zac Taylor said that since quarterback Jake Browning has shown what he can do in the Bengals’ offense and has been a part of the organization for five years, he won’t have to change up the scheme much as Browning takes over under center for the injured Joe Burrow.
“Preparation equals confidence,” Taylor said Wednesday as the Bengals (2-0) get ready to face the Minnesota Vikings (1-1) on Sunday. “When you’ve prepared for your opportunity, then there’s a true confidence that
comes with that.
"There’s nothing they’re going to show me that I haven’t watched and seen and prepared for and thought through in my head and walked through in my own. Jake is an example of someone who’s truly prepared for a moment. And so that’s where his confidence stems from. And now you just go play football.”
Browning started his NFL career as an undrafted free agent with the Minnesota Vikings in 2019, and he joined the Bengals’ practice squad in 2021. In 2023, when Burrow missed the second half of the season with a wrist injury, Browning had a winning record (4-3) in seven starts.
Now with Burrow on injured reserve because of a turf toe injury, Browning gets his next opportunity to show what he can do.
“Execution breeds a lot of confidence,” Browning said. “My main goal is just to execute well, play fast, make fast decisions, be decisive and try to help us win and whatever comes as a result of that, or however everybody feels now, I’m pretty focused on doing my job.”
While the Bengals added two potential backups to their practice squad on Tuesday in Mike White and Sean Clifford, the Bengals are moving forward with Browning as their starter.
“I love the guy,” Bengals offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher said. ”(Browning) and I have a really good relationship. It’s just awesome when you see him get an opportunity and he does what we all believe that he’s going to do and this team believes in him, his coaches believe in him, and man, that goes a long way. That’s why I sit here 2-0, excited, energized, because everything we want to do this year is right in front of us.”
Brett Rypien, who signed onto the Bengals practice squad in August and joined the active roster on Tuesday, is set up to back up Browning in the short term.
Rypien, an undrafted free agent out of Boise State, has played in 10 NFL games between 2020 and 2023.
Since he didn’t participate in training camp with the Bengals, he has had to learn the offense on the fly.
“Here, you go through the game plan and make sure you know what the protection rules are,” Rypien said. “If I was going from a jet protection system to a ‘Mike’ protection system, it’d probably be a lot harder. The calls are similar up front for Minnesota as they are here. It’s really just learning what the pass concepts are and being able to know where everyone is going to be at.”
White has played in 15 NFL games over the past four years and completed 61.4% of his passes in the regular season. He’s friends with former Bengals Eli Apple, CJ Uzomah and Mitchell Wilcox, who all provided good reviews of Taylor and the Bengals.
Similar to Rypien and Clifford, White is learning a Bengals system that’s new to him.
“Your prep time is critical,” White said. “Your process in the week. Getting reps after practice. You’re not going to get reps in the week because the starter needs it. You commit to a process.”
Clifford was selected by the Packers in the fifth round of the 2023 draft. He hasn’t thrown a pass yet in the NFL.
Clifford is a Cincinnati native and went to St. Xavier High School.
“I’m back on the field in my hometown,” Clifford said. “I had over 300 messages yesterday. If I didn’t get back to you, I apologize … It’s a lot of love. I can feel it. I’m excited to be a part of a great team.”
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