Bengals Open Joe Burrow’s Practice Window

The Bengals’ offense has found a level of stable production since the Joe Flacco trade, but his time atop the depth chart has always been seen as temporary. A step in the direction of Flacco’s QB1 run ending is being taken.

Joe Burrow is set to return to practice, as first reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The Bengals are opening his 21-day activation window today in a notable move for Burrow’s recovery process. Provided he is brought back onto the active roster within that time, he will be able to return to action.

When speaking on the subject, head coach Zac Taylor confirmed to no surprise Burrow will not play in Week 11. He also said (via Rapoport’s colleague Mike Garafolo) a return to action may not take place right away even after Burrow is activated. Still, today’s practice – in a limited capacity – marks a significant step in the right direction for all involved.

After Burrow suffered a turf toe injury in September, it was clear a lengthy absence would be in store. A return by December was floated as a possibility, and after successful surgery it is clear Burrow has not suffered any setbacks in his rehab. The two-time Comeback Player of the Year will look to return to a Cincinnati team still in contention for the playoffs. It very much remains to be seen if that will be possible based on the Bengals’ continued defensive struggles.

No firm timeline is in place for Burrow, although he told Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer a return by “Thanksgiving-ish” is being targeted. The Bengals are coming off their bye week, and they have games against the Steelers and Patriots upcoming. Those contests will be followed by a Thanksgiving matchup with the Ravens. Having Burrow back as soon as possible will obviously be key, but adding further to his long list of injuries at the NFL level – or even risking doing so – would not be feasible if Cincinnati were to be out of contention late.

The Bengals have lost two straight despite scoring 80 points over that span. The team sits at 3-6 on the year as a result and trails both the Steelers and Ravens for top spot in the AFC North. Cincinnati is currently two games behind Jacksonville for the final wild-card spot in the conference. Improvements on defense will be sought out coming off the bye with first-year DC Al Golden remaining in place. If efforts on that front prove fruitful, a Burrow return for the closing stages could make for an interesting finish to the year.

The 28-year-old led the NFL in passing yards and touchdowns last year. That was insufficient for the Bengals to qualify for the playoffs, and it very much remains to be seen if a return to postseason contention will be possible in 2025. Burrow managing to return would certainly offer a boost, though.