The Cincinnati Bengals are entering 2024 with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations.
In four seasons, Joe Burrow has proven that when healthy, he’s one of the most electric quarterbacks in the NFL.
The biggest issue has been staying on the field. During his rookie campaign in 2020, Burrow tore his ACL in Week 11. He bounced back in the biggest way in 2021, finishing the regular season with 4,611 passing yards, 35 touchdowns, 14 interceptions and a completion percentage of 70.4 percent. He rode that momentum into the playoffs where he led the Cincinnati Bengals to their first Super Bowl appearance since 1988, where they barely fell to the Rams (23-20).
Burrow and the Bengals explosive offense came back in 2022 and were once again one of the top teams in the AFC. They finished with a (12-5) record and were on the cusp of reaching a second-straight Super Bowl, but fell to Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in AFC Championship game. Ironically, the score was the same as the Super Bowl loss, (23-20).
Last year, the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback dealt with a calf injury during training camp and into the early part of the regular season. Just as he seemed to turn the corner with the calf issue, he suffered a wrist injury that required season-ending surgery.
Heading toward the 2024 season, Burrow knows staying healthy is the key to the Bengals’ campaign.
“Well, No. 1, I want to be on the field for all the games,” he recently told Complex Sports. “I know I’m going to play well when I’m out there. I’m at that point in my career where I’ve seen enough to know myself that I can go out there and play as well as anybody in the game. The biggest strides this year are going to be my body and learning how to get through the season, get through practices with my body, and feeling in tip-top shape. And so that’s the main focus for the offseason.”
With Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins likely together for the last time and the best offensive line he’s had during his run with the Cincinnati Bengals, Burrow could reach new heights if he stays on the field.
If the Bengals are going to compete with the Chiefs, Ravens, Bills and other top teams in the AFC, they have to remain healthy in 2024.
On Thursday, they had two concerning situations emerge with two of their top rookies from the 2024 draft class.
Cincinnati Bengals Rookie Amarius Mims Carted Off Practice, Jermaine Burton Leaves With Foot Injury
The Bengals were looking toward the future when they selected Georgia offensive tackle Amarius Mims with the 18thpick. The 6-foot-8, 340-pound junior has a chance to ease into his NFL career and learn behind the towering 6-8 bookends they already have at tackles in Orlando Brown Jr. on the left and Trent Brown on the right.
Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said he believes Mims is more inexperienced than raw.
“He leans toward inexperience. They do a good job developing offensive linemen at Georgia,” Taylor said. “They have a really good track record of developing guys that can come in and play.”
While the Bengals aren’t relying on Mims to be ready to start when the season opener rolls around, they ideally want to get him up to speed as soon as possible. On Thursday, there was a scary situation that unfolded with the new big man.
Mims had to leave the field and was examined by trainers for several minutes before being carted to the locker room. As of now, reports are saying it was a heat related issue which shouldn’t cause much concern, but nothing is official.
Amarius Mims is being carted off the field. It’s really hot in Cincinnati today, he was seen having cold towels put on him moments before but unsure if anything else is going on at the moment pic.twitter.com/VIMzOXVM5H
— Kelsey Conway (@KelseyLConway) August 1, 2024
Beyond Mims, the Cincinatti Bengals selected Alabama WR Jermaine Burton in the third round, who led the Georgia Bulldogs during their national title run in 2021 before transferring to join the Crimson Tide.
On Thursday, Burton left practice early with what appeared to be a left foot injury. After being examined on the training table, Burton was able to walk back to the locker room for further testing.
Burton is also seeing extensive reps as Ja’Marr Chase remains out of practice. The former SEC star was already competing to take over the vacant slot receiver spot after Tyler Boyd left, though Burton is more of a boundary wideout.
Unlike Mims, the Cincinnati Bengals are counting on Burton to take meaningful snaps early in his rookie season, so missing any time would be far from ideal.
