Zac Taylor lays out expectations for Joe Burrow and inactives for Bengals’ preseason opener against Eagles
Burrow is expected to play a few drives, but not every starter will be out there.
Expect to see several Cincinnati Bengals players you know, including QB Joe Burrow, play during the first quarter of Thursday’s preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles. But not everyone will suit up.
Head coach Zac Taylor announced projected starters TE Mike Gesicki, DE Trey Hendrickson, DT B.J. Hill, and CBs Dax Hill, and Cam Taylor-Britt will not play Thursday night. Reserves TE Noah Fant, DE Cedric Johnson, C Matt Lee, and CB Marco Wilson will also not play.
Gesicki suffered a minor injury over the weekend during a training camp practice. Hendrickson is still holding-in for a new contract and hasn’t yet practiced with the team this offseason. B.J. Hill and Dax Hill are working back a foot injury and torn ACL, respectively. Taylor-Britt also got banged up last week and has been out of practice since.
Fant has only been on the team since last Thursday and needs more time in the offense before playing. Johnson, Lee, and Wilson all have injuries of their own.
Joe Burrow’s expected workload vs. Eagles
Burrow is not hurt and will play around a quarter’s worth of action, per Taylor. An entire quarter is more than all of Burrow’s previous preseason experience combined as he’s played a total of two drives in his first five years.
While this will be a big, and expected, jump for Burrow this time of year, Taylor said the extended playing time won’t occur until Week 2 against the Washington Commanders.
Depending on how long the drives will go for, Burrow and the starting offense could be out there for two, three, or even four drives during the opening quarter. He’ll be joined by RB Chase Brown, WRs Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Andrei Iosivas, and the entire starting offensive line including RT Amarius Mims, who’s dealing with a hand injury.
The starting defense will have DEs Myles Murphy and Joseph Ossai, and NT T.J. Slaton Jr. will be out there on the defensive line. Kris Jenkins Jr. will start in Hill’s place at DT. Logan Wilson and Demetrius Knight Jr. will be behind them at linebacker. Expect DJ Turner II, Josh Newton, and DJ Ivey to get the starts at cornerback with Hill and Taylor-Britt out.
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