CINCINNATI — Joe Burrow’s Return to Practice

Joe Burrow was back on the practice field for the Bengals on Monday, marking the start of a 21-day window for him to make a comeback.

His participation in practice won’t impact the 53-player active roster, and he has three weeks to be activated.

However, Bengals coach Zac Taylor confirmed Burrow won’t be playing in the upcoming game against Pittsburgh. The Bengals have had a rough stretch, losing six of their last seven games since Burrow suffered a toe injury that necessitated surgery in mid-September.

“I think he’s in a good place. He’s been putting in the work to get back on the field, even if it’s just in a limited capacity,” Taylor mentioned prior to practice.

Burrow is expected to work with some receivers but probably won’t engage in 11-on-11 drills until next week.

Initially, it seemed like the quarterback would be out for as long as three months, but there’s a possibility he could be back for the game against New England on November 23 or, just four days later, in Baltimore for a Thanksgiving night matchup.

Burrow had surgery on his left toe on September 19, following an injury he sustained in the second quarter of Cincinnati’s win over Jacksonville.

This is Burrow’s third significant injury in his six seasons since being drafted first overall in 2020.

After Burrow’s injury, the offense had its struggles with Jake Browning stepping in as the starting quarterback. Still, things have improved since the Bengals brought Joe Flacco over from the Cleveland Browns on October 9.

Flacco has been impressive, averaging the league’s highest passing yards—313.5—in his four games with the Bengals.

Recent losses for Cincinnati have largely been attributed to the defense. They found themselves down by 15 in the fourth quarter during a narrow 39-38 loss to the New York Jets on October 26. Then, just a week later, they allowed Chicago’s Caleb Williams to throw a 58-yard touchdown with only 17 seconds remaining, leading to a 47-42 defeat against the Bears.

Interestingly, Cincinnati has become the first team since the New York Giants in 1966 to score at least 38 points in two consecutive games yet still lose both.

Additionally, Taylor mentioned uncertainty regarding defensive end Trey Hendrickson’s return this week, as he has missed two of the last three games due to a hip injury.