Quarterback dominoes and free agent signings not impacting the compensatory pick process anymore played a role in the Cincinnati Bengals signing quarterback Trevor Siemian.
Wednesday, NFL Network’s James Palmer reported the news of a one-year deal.
No great shocker here — the Bengals hosted Siemian on a visit back in early April. What moved the needle on Wednesday was former backup Brandon Allen signing with the San Francisco 49ers.
The Bengals and Allen seemed destined for a split as the team worked around free agents like Siemian and even met with draft prospects, suggesting a potential late-round selection.
Siemian, 31, was a seventh-round pick in 2015 and has taken snaps with four different teams. He’s a career 58.9-percent passer with 42 touchdowns and 28 interceptions. Bengals fans might remember him as the Broncos quarterback in 2016 who torched the Cincinnati defense for 312 yards and four touchdowns in a Denver win.
Thanks to a Denver connection with current Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan and experience in similar systems, Siemian always made the most sense as the primary backup behind Joe Burrow. His arrival means Jake Browning remains the third quarterback.
