The Bengals will need to be patient a bit longer for Joe Burrow’s return.
As reported, the team didn’t place him on injured reserve by Saturday’s deadline, which means he’ll miss Sunday’s matchup against the Patriots.
The earliest he could come back is next Thursday for a game against the Ravens.
Burrow has been sidelined since Week 2 due to a surgery for a toe injury. He practiced fully on Wednesday and Thursday, but was limited on Friday.
On the official roster, he was marked as questionable.
“I think Joe did everything he could to put himself in a position to come back,” said head coach Zac Taylor on Friday. “We are going to keep working on this issue over time.”
Joe Flacco, who was traded last month, is expected to continue as the starting quarterback for the Bengals.
The team has struggled with a record of 1-4 in the five games he has started, overall sitting at 3-7.
Taylor mentioned that the Bengals playing two games within five days influenced his decision to hold Burrow out, expressing a desire to protect him from overdoing it.
“It’s very important,” he stated. “I have to consider what I think is best for him. He’s coming off an injury and hasn’t played in a while. I know he’s got the right mindset and has worked hard physically. I need to balance what’s best for him against what’s best for our team.”
There’s also the absence of star receiver Ja’Marr Chase. He has been suspended for one game after an incident involving spitting on Jalen Ramsey during last week’s loss to the Steelers.
