Joe Burrow is edging closer to a return to the field as the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback participated fully in Wednesday”s practice, according to the team”s injury report. This marks the first occasion since his turf toe injury on September 14 against the Jacksonville Jaguars that Burrow has been fully active in practice.
During this session, Burrow also engaged in 11-on-11 drills, a significant step in his rehabilitation process. Currently, he is in a 21-day evaluation period that permits him to practice without being on the active roster. When asked whether Burrow could potentially start in the upcoming game against the New England Patriots, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor was noncommittal. “Until we get through some practices, there”s no reason for me to even speculate on that,” Taylor stated.
Burrow has been eyeing Thanksgiving as a possible return date following the surgery that sidelined him for the past seven games. Despite this progress, Burrow did not provide any specifics about his recovery timeline after practice. Last week, he mentioned that the team”s dismal record could influence his decision to return. The Bengals, with a record of 3-7, have struggled, losing seven of their last eight games, including a three-game losing streak leading into the matchup with the Patriots, who currently hold one of the best records in the AFC at 9-2.
“Right now, he”s of the mindset that he wants to play football for us,” Taylor added on Monday. “We”ll just continue to get through his rehab progression and see where that ends up before we make any decisions on how we want to proceed.”
Joe Flacco, who has stepped in as the starter for the last five games following a trade, is currently dealing with a sprained right shoulder. The veteran quarterback has been managing the injury since it was sustained in the Bengals” Week 9 loss to the New York Jets on October 26. In preparation for the last two games, the coaching staff has limited Flacco”s practice workload at the beginning of the week. Given Burrow”s progress, this may be Flacco”s final scheduled start in Cincinnati.
Flacco acknowledged that while he has not focused heavily on the possibility, it has crossed his mind. “It”s in your head a little bit to a certain extent,” Flacco remarked. “But I really am not that concerned with it. I think as long as I just keep my head down and keep preparing the way I am and then kind of act oblivious to it, then that”ll be the best for me.”
After a challenging start to the season with the Cleveland Browns, Flacco has found success with the Bengals despite his shoulder injury. He has completed 63.4% of his passes for 1,453 yards, tallying 12 touchdowns and three interceptions over five games. Flacco, who is nearing the end of a one-year contract, expressed that his experience with the Bengals has reinforced his belief in his abilities as a starting quarterback moving forward. “Hopefully it reinforces it in somebody”s mind that I can do it,” he said. “I do still want to do it. I still feel like I can do it. This obviously does help with the confidence of being able to do it and all that stuff. I would like an opportunity, but you just never know.”
