With calf injury lingering, Bengals should sit QB Joe Burrow

Should the Cincinnati Bengals sit quarterback Joe Burrow so his lingering calf issue doesn't develop into a more serious problem?

"[Burrow] can't run. He can't be as mobile as we're used to seeing him be, and that's a problem to me," ESPN analyst and former NFL QB Robert Griffin III said Tuesday on "Get Up." "If Joe Burrow can't be mobile, he can't be Joe Burrow, you gotta sit him down. You gotta sit him down for the betterment of him, his career and let him get healthy."

The Bengals just inked Burrow to a five-year, $275M contract extension, making him the highest-paid player in the league. Since the organization made a colossal financial commitment, it must protect Burrow, so letting him rest is the right move.

Through two games, the 26-year-old has not played like an elite QB, posting a below-average 47.2 QBR, 22nd in the NFL. His inconsistency is probably tied to his calf injury, which he aggravated in Sunday's 27-24 loss against Baltimore.

Bengals head coach Zac Taylor is waiting on more advice from the Cincinnati medical staff before deciding if he will sit his star QB.

"First of all, we have to hear what the doctors say before we start to assume anything," Taylor told ESPN's Ben Baby. "Once we get that information, we have those [conversations], figure out what we're going to do."

If Burrow sits, Cincinnati will likely lose multiple games, hurting its Super Bowl chances. Backup QB Jake Browning has yet to prove he's a viable option, only attempting one pass in one game in his career, per Pro Football Reference.

However, Burrow's longevity outweighs a few losses this season. Since entering the league in 2020, the former No. 1 overall pick has made a Pro Bowl, is 5-2 in the playoffs and led the club to a Super Bowl LVI appearance.

Burrow has the potential to become the best QB in franchise history. Cincinnati shouldn't let this injury start to derail his promising career.