Throughout the week, questions have lingered regarding whether or not Joe Burrow will be able to suit up for the Bengals’ upcoming Monday night contest. An answer remains elusive at this point, but the team may very well have its starting quarterback available tonight.
Burrow continues to deal with the effects of his calf injury suffered in training camp, one of which was aggravated in Week 2. In the time since Cincinnati’s second straight loss to open the campaign, it has become clear Burrow will need to play through considerable pain to be available in the immediate future. Given the team’s 0-2 start on one hand and the enormous long-term commitment made in Burrow on the other, opinions are split on how the Bengals should proceed.
Russini notes, however, that things are “trending in the right direction,” meaning the progress made over the weekend by Burrow (who has been urging team officials to let him play) has continued. Adding to that notion, Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports the team is prepared to go ahead with their franchise cornerstone under center barring a setback in advance of kickoff. The former No. 1 pick’s presence would no doubt be a welcomed sight for the Bengals as they look to avoid dropping to 0-3.
Doing so would greatly boost their postseason chances, something of importance given the franchise’s position in a Super Bowl window. If Burrow is destined to play through the nagging injury for most (if not all) of the season’s remaining games, Monday would simply represent the first full contest of meeting that challenge since aggravating his calf. The team’s options under center if Burrow is unable to finish the game are, however, a group that faces plenty of question marks.
Jake Browning is the Bengals’ only other quarterback on the active roster, and he has one regular season pass attempt to his name. Knowing Burrow’s uncertain status for Week 3, Cincinnati spent two days last week adding signal-callers (Reid Sinnett and A.J. McCarron) to the practice squad. It will be interesting to see how the team handles its two gameday elevations before kickoff, as the number of QBs dressing for the contest will go a long way in illustrating the confidence held in Burrow’s ability to suit up.
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