Joe Burrow surprises everyone with latest injury update, and Bengals fans can now officially circle their calendars
Joe Burrow is one step closer to being back.
The Cincinnati Bengals have cleared quarterback Joe Burrow to return to practice.
Burrow, who has been on the Reserve/Injured list since suffering a turf toe injury in Week 2, is now slated for a “limited return to practice, so he can begin progressing on-field activities,” according to the team’s official website.
This is a pretty surprising update. Burrow’s turf toe was slated to sideline him for at least three months, starting from the middle of September, after he underwent surgery. If a return to the field was possible this year, the final three weeks of the season were projected as the target.
That projection is now incorrect, and by at least a few weeks, according to Burrow himself.
Joe Burrow sets his own return date from turf toe injury
Burrow being cleared to practice now means there’s a 21-day window for him to be activated to the 53-man roster. Twenty-one days from now is Dec. 1, and the Bengals have three games on their schedule before then. Cincinnati plays at the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 11 on Nov. 16, the New England Patriots will come to town in Week 12 on Nov. 23, and then another road contest at the Baltimore Ravens in Week 13 on Nov. 27, which is Thanksgiving Day.
Burrow’s return to the team, not necessarily return to the field, will happen for one of those games, and he has a goal. The 28-year-old told Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer the Thanksgiving game in Baltimore is when he expects to be ready.
Now it makes sense why Cincinnati went ahead with this move.
This does not activate Burrow to the roster; rather, it allows him to officially practice with the rest of the team while still on IR. He will need to be activated off IR before the 21-day window closes, or he’ll be ineligible to play for the rest of the season. Burrow does not have to play before the window expires; he just needs to be on the roster.
That said, since Burrow’s return wasn’t expected until next month at the earliest, this is great news for the Bengals.
Burrow has missed the last seven games, and the team has won one of them. They averaged just 12.3 points per game with Jake Browning in the first three weeks following his injury. That led to a trade for Joe Flacco, who has found the fountain of youth with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Still, his play hasn’t been enough to overshadow how much of a letdown the defense has been.
Burrow shouldn’t be expected to play until he gets enough practice under his belt, but that day is coming a lot sooner than Cincinnati would’ve thought a month ago.
Cincinnati Bengals News
NFL hands down punishment to the player who caused injury to Bengals RB Samaje Perine
Perine is now dealing with a high-ankle sprain.
