Detroit Lions draft pick was involved in surprise AFC North trade.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco (15) passes the ball off during the second half against the Detroit Lions / Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images.

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The Cincinnati Bengals made a surprising trade after losing to the Detroit Lions.

Joe Burrow being lost for several months, due to a turf toe injury, has clearly derailed the Bengals’ season.

A decision needed to be made due to subpar play at the quarterback position.

The AFC North squad received a 2026 sixth-round draft pick and veteran quarterback Joe Flacco from the Cleveland Browns.

In exchange, the Browns received a 2026 fifth-round pick.

The sixth-rounder that the Bengals received was acquired by Cleveland last year in the Lions trade for defensive end Za’Darius Smith.

Needing to upgrade their defensive line last year at the deadline, general manger Brad Holmes agreed to trade terms with the Browns to acquire Smith and a 2026 seventh-round draft selection in exchange for a 2025 fifth-round selection and 2026 sixth-round draft selection.

Backup quarterback Jake Browning struggled mightily since taking over the starting job for the injured Burrow.

Browning expressed he was trying to force plays and that resulted in numerous turnovers.

“Most of mine came from trying to force plays,” Browning said postgame, after the Bengals were defeated by the Lions, 37-24.

“Frustration from wanting to push the ball downfield.

I’ve got to pick my spots better. I threw three bad interceptions.

There’s no hiding from that. It was bad football from me.”

As a result, the Bengals had no choice but to seek out an alternative option to play under center.

Bengals head coach Zac Taylor expressed to reporters postgame he felt the offense hung the defense out to dry in a Week 5 home loss to the Lions.

“We’ve hung the defense out to dry a couple of times down the first half of three games in a row.

To hold them to 14 points at halftime, seven of them coming off a turnover in a short field, really gave us a chance,” said Taylor.

“Then the second half started with another turnover, giving them a short field and points.

“That’s my job. I call the plays on offense. I put this thing together. I’ve got to be better for this football team because it just hasn’t been good enough, and I put that on myself. We’ve got to get it fixed,” Taylor added. “I’m confident we will. It’s disappointing and frustrating again that we’ve scored three points, three weeks in a row in the first half. You’re not going to win against these teams when you do that.”