Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has been sidelined with a calf injury since late July. 

Burrow's calf strain, which Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said would keep the superstar quarterback out of action for "several weeks", means that for the fourth straight season, the former LSU star hasn't been able to experience a "normal" training camp. 

The calf injury joins a list of preseason issues that Burrow's experienced since entering the league in 2020, joining the COVID-19 pandemic, recovery from a torn ACL, and an appendix removal. 

There's obviously some concern from fans about whether or not Burrow will be ready for the season opener on September 10 against the Cleveland Browns. 

Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan was asked this weekend about Burrow's status. 

And Callahan didn't offer much to reporters.

"Everything to my eyes seems like he's progressing the way he's supposed to," said Callahan. "I don't see him a lot doing things — I see him about as much as you guys do (local reporters). I don't go watch his rehab or anything like that. But I feel good about everything I've heard and seen so far. That's about all I know."

NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero offered a firmer timeline for Burrow's return to action during a recent appearance on The Rich Eisen Show. 

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"Everything I've heard about the calf is [there's] no reason to believe that Joe Burrow's not going to be back prior to the regular season," said Pelissero. 

Pelissero was also asked about Burrow's looming extension. The expectation is still that the deal will get done before the start of the regular season, but with Cincinnati and Burrow both keeping negotiations quiet, there's no real update for where things stand between the two sides. 

As far as the calf injury, it certainly sounds like, based on Pelissero's comments, that Burrow will return to practice before the start of the regular season. Burrow returning to practice a week or two before the start of the regular season — essentially after the last preseason game — would seem to make sense. 

Regardless of when Burrow actually returns, it seems that Bengals fans can almost fully exhale as it doesn't appear that the calf injury is something that will linger into the 2023 season. 

Joe Burrow reveals the one thing you won’t catch him listening to this summer

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow revealed the one thing you won’t catch him listening to this summer

Featured image via Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK