San Francisco 49ers fans are all too familiar with the hard reality the Cincinnati Bengals are facing after just two weeks: losing a starting quarterback to a serious injury that'll keep him out for an extensive period of time.
In 2020, the Niners lost then-starter Jimmy Garoppolo (more on him in a second) to a torn ACL, while head coach Kyle Shanahan is currently dealing with Brock Purdy being out on a week-to-week basis because of a turf-toe injury.
As for Cincy, the latest news surrounding it's star quarterback, Joe Burrow, is devastating. His own turf-toe injury, suffered in the Week 2 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, is expected to sideline him for three months:
ESPN sources: Bengals QB Joe Burrow will need toe surgery that will sideline him a minimum of three months. pic.twitter.com/g8AiFectwX
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 15, 2025
Granted, Cincinnati got better-than-expected results from Burrow's on-roster backup, perennial reservist Jake Browning.
But, expecting Browning to helm a Bengals team desperate to get back into the postseason discussion might be a tall order.
Hence, it's not hard to see all kinds of leaguewide speculation pointing toward a would-be trade for a starting-caliber quarterback.
And the NFC West might very well be the pool from which Cincy explores.
Bengals may look to pluck NFC West QB to fill in for Joe Burrow
Cincinnati has options for a Burrow replacement, but it's not hard to look at the NFC West as a potential storefront.
San Francisco fans may be thinking the Bengals are entertaining a call with general manager John Lynch for the services of Purdy's backup, Mac Jones, who dazzled in his 49ers debut against the New Orleans Saints in Week 2.
Possible, yes. But Lynch likely wouldn't budge on Jones, given Purdy's immediate uncertainty and the Niners' own aspirations to get back into the postseason picture. Plus, Jones is under contract through 2026, meaning it might be more beneficial to wait until this offseason to execute such a trade anyway, although the Bengals' desperation could easily give Lynch a benchmark for asking prices on Jones.
Instead, the rumor mill seems to have shifted further south where the Los Angeles Rams' own backup, Garoppolo, has already been tied to suggestions as a would-be Burrow replacement. CBS Sports' John Breech included Jimmy G as speculative trade bait, and so did The Sporting News' Vinnie Iyer. Plus, with Garoppolo on a one-year deal on the cheap, Cincy's prospects for a true "rental" seem much more plausible in such a case.
San Francisco fans monitoring Garoppolo is nothing new, especially after his own up-and-down tenure in the Bay Area, followed by an unceremonious end in 2023.
But, should Jimmy G find himself shipped off to the AFC North, not only would it eliminate the remote chance of squaring off against his former squad (even as a backup) this season, but it would also alter the balance of power in the NFC West's quarterback depth discussion.