The Cincinnati Bengals have been without Joe Burrow since he suffered a significant turf toe injury during his team’s Week 2 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Could he return to action soon?
Burrow practiced for the Bengals ahead of their Week 11 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. His participation was limited, but it was still critical, as it marked his first time on the field since his injury.
The Bengals have gone just 1-6 with Burrow out of the lineup after winning both games with him starting to open the season. Suffice to say, the team would like to get the two-time Pro Bowler back on the field as it looks to mount a playoff push in the crowded AFC.
When will Burrow return? Here are the latest injury updates about the Bengals quarterback and when fans might expect him to play again.
When will Joe Burrow return?
The Bengals have not yet outlined an official return date for Burrow. However, the 28-year-old quarterback returned to Bengals practice Nov. 10 as a “limited” participant, opening a 21-day period during which he can practice without counting against the Bengals’ 53-man roster limit.
Burrow must be activated from IR before the end of that 21-day window, which will be Dec. 1. If he isn’t, he will be ruled out for the remainder of the season.
Bengals coach Zac Taylor told reporters Burrow wouldn’t play in the team’s Week 11 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He didn’t provide clarity about Burrow’s status beyond that while expressing confidence in the LSU product’s recovery.
“I think he’s at a good point,” Taylor told reporters of Burrow. “Internally, this was always a good timeline for us. He’s worked hard to get to this point to get back on the field in a limited form.”
Like Taylor, Burrow was mum about his potential return date. The Bengals quarterback did, however, say it would be “very” meaningful for him to return for the team’s Thanksgiving night game against the Baltimore Ravens.
Still, Burrow wouldn’t definitively commit to playing in that Week 13 contest.
“We’ll see,” he told reporters after practice on Nov. 10. “We’ll see how these next couple weeks go.”
Bengals QB depth chart
The Bengals currently have three quarterbacks on their 53-man roster with Burrow out of action. Below is a look at the unit’s pecking order.
- Joe Flacco
- Jake Browning
- Sean Clifford
Flacco has performed well since being acquired via trade from the Cleveland Browns and replacing Browning. The 40-year-old has completed 64.7% of his passes for 1,254 yards, 11 touchdowns and two interceptions across four starts, though the Bengals have just a 1-3 record in those games.
Browning was initially used as the Bengals’ replacement for Burrow. However, the 29-year-old struggled to an 0-3 record across three starts while completing 64.5% of his passes for 757 yards, six touchdowns and a whopping eight interceptions.
Clifford, 27, is the youngest quarterback currently in the Bengals’ organization. He was signed to the team’s practice squad Sept. 15 and was later added to the active roster Oct. 31 as Flacco dealt with a shoulder injury. The Penn State product has never attempted a regular-season NFL pass.
