Joe Burrow’s turf toe surgery, which will sideline him for at least three months, has forced the Cincinnati Bengals into realigning their quarterback depth — and how they fare depends largely on how confidently they can lean on their backups. Enter Jake Browning, who steps in as the primary option; he’s familiar with the system and has shown flashes of competence, completing 21 of 32 passes for 241 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions during the win vs. Jacksonville.  Meanwhile, the Bengals aren’t leaving things to chance: they are reportedly exploring free‐agent quarterbacks to bolster their depth chart behind Browning.  In a league where backup QB strength can swing a team’s playoff hopes, the Bengals rate somewhere in the middle of the pack — their depth isn’t elite, but it’s solid enough to stay competitive, provided Browning avoids the kind of turnovers he displayed in his limited action so far.