Bengals’ Joe Burrow expects to be cleared from injury by May

Joe Burrow of the Bengals anticipates being injury-free by May.

“I anticipate being cleared for full contact and everything around the middle of May,” Burrow told ESPN on Sunday. “Over the next month [to] month and a half, we’ll kind of decide all those things.”

Burrow said he expects to get back to full throwing sessions during Cincinnati’s organized team activities. As he recovers from the season-ending surgery he underwent on Nov. 16 during the team’s Week 11 loss to Baltimore, he has begun tossing little medicine balls.

The quarterback, who recently concluded his fourth season in the NFL, stated that the schedule is similar to what he has seen throughout the previous several years’ summer.

Burrow stated that OTAs are when he usually starts throwing. He will have an additional 12 weeks to recuperate and address any “inefficiencies and weaknesses” as the Bengals attempt to make up for missing the playoffs in 2023 thanks to the time off.

“I’m excited about being able to lift basically normally now,” Burrow stated after attending a Guinness marketing event. “I’ll essentially be doing what I’ve been doing for the past couple of years for the next two months.” Just the additional 12 weeks of work behind us.”

Prior to the ligament injury last season, the first overall pick in the 2020 draft participated in ten games. He threw for 15 touchdowns and six interceptions on 66.8% of his passes completed.

Both of Burrow’s seasons were marred by injuries. On the second day of training camp, he had hurt his right calf, an ailment that didn’t entirely heal until mid-season. Burrow was healthy for five games prior to sustaining a wrist injury from a hit.

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The Bengals took a step backwards the previous season as well. Following their trip to the Super Bowl at the conclusion of the 2021 campaign,

the AFC Championship Game the following year (along with winning their division both seasons), the Bengals did not make the playoffs and finished last in the AFC North.

On Sunday, Burrow acknowledged the injury problems but said they were only partially to blame for Cincinnati’s woes in 2023. When asked what it will take for the Bengals to become AFC contenders again, he said the youth on the roster will play a big role.

“We need the guys that we draft to come in and be productive and take on the leadership roles that we’ve lost the last couple of years,” Burrow said. “And we need to bring in the right pieces this offseason too, whether it’s the draft or free agency.

“Like I said, the injuries were what they were last year, but we weren’t good enough in a lot of different places to make a Super Bowl run in my opinion.”

Over the past few years, Burrow’s input has been valued by coach Zac Taylor, executive Duke Tobin and other decision-makers in the front office. Burrow said those conversations will occur as the Bengals reposition themselves to improve next season.

At last week’s NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, Taylor said the dialogue between he and Burrow is wide open.

“I always ask a lot of questions and he always gives me the information I need anytime I’ve asked him,” Taylor said.

Cincinnati has started the process of retooling the roster for 2024. Last Monday, the Bengals gave wide receiver Tee Higgins the franchise tag. In his final news conference of the season, Burrow voiced how critical Higgins was to the team on the field and in the locker room.

In his conversation Sunday with ESPN, he reiterated Higgins’ importance, noting that their time together dates back to 2020, when the receiver was drafted at the top of the second round.

“Having him back this year,” Burrow said, “obviously, I hope we’re going to have him longer, but it’s exciting for me to have him this year and then it’s a nice little payday for him. Then hopefully he gets another one here soon.”

As Burrow prepares for the upcoming season, he said what excites him most about the process is what faces himself and the Bengals as they chase the first Super Bowl win in franchise history.

“I’m excited about the challenge that we have,” Burrow said. “I’m excited about the challenge that I have coming back from injury.

“When you’re injured, your only rebuttal to the narrative is what you put on the field and how you produce, and when you’re injured, there’s no dialogue between the narrative and yourself. So I’m excited to kind of handle that in my own way and get back out there in a much better place.”