Cincinnati Bengals: Quarterback Depth Chart

Andy Dalton is currently the starter, but the Cincinnati Bengals have some insurance at the quarterback position in case of injury or inconsistent play.

The Cinncinati Bengals enter an interesting season in 2015. It seems like it’s been forever since the Cincinnati Bengals have won a playoff game. In fact, George H.W. Bush was the President of the United States and current star wide receiver A.J. Green was just two years old.

Yes, 1990 may seem like 200 years ago for Bengals fans. Over the past four years, the Bengals have gotten extremely close to finally winning a playoff game, but they’ve came up short for four consecutive seasons.

It’s no secret that the most important position on an NFL roster is the quarterback position. To play the position effectively, quarterbacks not need to have tremendous skill, but they need to have an unmatched demeanor.

While incumbent starter Andy Dalton has made the playoffs in each year of his career, the reality is that the clock has to be clicking for both Dalton and head coach Marvin Lewis, who will enter his 13th season as the Bengals’ head coach in 2015 even though he’s yet to win a playoff game.

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Inconsistencies have really hurt Dalton’s career and his overall progression. However, no backup quarterback is even remotely in the same conversation than Dalton yet. If the Bengals do in fact give the reigns to someone else in their quarterback corps, the likely pick will be 2014 fifth-round pick A.J. McCarron.

I’m starting to wonder if people forget about McCarron, the man who not only dates Katherine Webb, but the man who lost just six games in three years as the starting quarterback of the Alabama Crimson Tide. While many will look down upon that stat because he played with one of the better collegiate defenses of all-time, something still has to be said about McCarron’s ability to win football games.

Behind McCarron is a guy that people just love, well in the Madden video game series at least. Terrelle Pryor has without a doubt made a ton of spectacular plays in his young NFL career, but the reality is that he doesn’t have the accuracy or the pocket skills that are needed to be a successful and productive quarterback for a long time.

Pryor has so much ability with his legs, as is the case by the video below. With his speed and agility alone, Pryor can make an impact in a certain way for an offense. Another detriment truly is his natural feel for the position, which is something he simply lacks.

Behind Pryor is journeyman backup Josh Johnson, who, at this point, may just be a camp body for competition purposes. However, if Johnson can show something throughout the preseason and outplay Pryor, it wouldn’t be surprising if Johnson won the No. 3 quarterback position.

While the Bengals do have a lot of talent on both sides of the football, they will not be a threat to do anything in the tough AFC if they do not get consistent play from the quarterback position. While Dalton has some questions surrounding him, the reality is that he’s much better than McCarron, Pryor, or Johnson. That said, despite his detractors, Dalton is the guy for the long run in Cincinnati.

Next: Cincinnati Bengals Draft Prospect Profile: Mario Alford

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