The Cincinnati Bengals signed quarterback Reid Sinnett to their practice squad Friday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Sinnett's signing comes after Bengals starting quarterback Joe Burrow aggravated the strained right calf injury he suffered during training camp in Cincinnati's Week 2 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
Per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, Sinnett will serve as Jake Browning's backup Monday night against the Los Angeles Rams if Burrow is unable to play.
Burrow did not play at all during the preseason and missed almost all of training camp due to the calf ailment, but he was back in time for the start of the regular season and started each of Cincinnati's first two games.
He has not played like his usual self, however, leading many to question whether Burrow rushed back from the injury too soon.
In addition to the Bengals being 0-2 with losses to AFC North rivals in the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens, Burrow is completing an uncharacteristically low 56.9 percent of his passes for 304 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.
If the Bengals hold Burrow out on Monday, the 27-year-old Browning will make his first NFL start.
The former University of Washington standout spent time with the Minnesota Vikings from 2019 to 2021 and has been with the Bengals since 2021, but it wasn't until Week 1 of this season that he attempted his first regular-season pass in relief of the struggling Burrow.
Cincinnati was already short on quarterback depth, and it got thinner this week when the New England Patriots signed Will Grier off the Bengals' practice squad and onto their active roster.
That left the Bengals with no contingency plan if Burrow can't play, hence the decision to bring back Sinnett.
Sinnett, 26, starred collegiately at the University of San Diego and went undrafted in 2020. He went on to spend time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Miami Dolphins and Philadelphia Eagles, plus he was with the XFL's San Antonio Brahmas earlier this year before signing with the Bengals.
While Sinnett has never attempted a regular-season pass, he is familiar with the Bengals' offensive system after spending training camp with the team.
If Burrow is not able to play, the Bengals would be in real danger of falling to 0-3, as neither Browning nor Sinnett come close to replacing what he brings to the table.
The Rams are off to a surprisingly good start and have looked great offensively with quarterback Matthew Stafford under center, so it is difficult to envision the Bengals keeping pace without Burrow.
