Cincinnati Bengals fans were forced to hold their collective breath after superstar quarterback Joe Burrow went down with a non-contact injury earlier in the preseason. It didn’t look good at all as the Pro Bowl QB had to be carted off the field with what would be later determined — fortunately — as a right calf strain.
Joe Burrow Looking ‘As Good As Ever,’ Per Zac Taylor
The initial diagnosis on Burrow was that he was set to miss multiple weeks because of the injury. The good news for Bengals supporters is that it was later revealed that their star quarterback is trending toward being ready for their Week 1 matchup against the Cleveland Browns.
Cincinnati head coach Zac Taylor spoke to reporters on Monday, and he provided a timely update on the status of the 26-year-old. Bengals fans will be glad to know that Taylor sounded very optimistic in his report:
“He looks great,” Taylor said, via Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. “Physically walking around, he looks as good as he’s ever looked.”
While the team has yet to officially confirm it, Burrow appears to be on track to be ready to start the season for the Bengals. This situation could have been far worse, so Cincinnati supporters will be glad to know that their cornerstone star dodged a major bullet here.
For context, Burrow was diagnosed with a Grade 1 strain in his right calf. This is the least severe type of calf strain, which typically heals within one to two weeks. Burrow went down with the injury on July 30, and he’s now over three weeks into his road to recovery.
The Bengals will obviously want their star QB to be ready for opening night, but at the same time, you can be sure that the medical team will be very cautious with Burrow here. As such, it would not be a complete surprise if the team decides to have him sit out a couple of games early in the season. After all, the Bengals are looking to return to the Super Bowl this year, and it goes without saying that they will need Burrow to be as healthy as he can be for the long haul.
For More Of My Content
Follow me on Twitter at @PaoloSongcoNBA. You may also reach out to me personally at pao.songco@gmail.com.