As expected, the Cincinnati Bengals' worst injury fears were confirmed, with Joe Burrow expected to miss at least three months following toe surgery.
Burrow has elected to undergo surgery for his Grade 3 turf toe injury, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Monday, per sources informed of the situation. The star quarterback is now in the process of deciding which surgeon to perform the procedure.
Bengals head coach Zac Taylor confirmed to reporters Monday that Burrow will need surgery, but offered no recovery timeline.
Burrow was injured in the second quarter of the Bengals' 31-27 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. Burrow was swallowed up for a sack on a second-and-20 play and had to be helped off the field. Backup Jake Browning came on to help Cincy to its first 2-0 start in seven years, throwing for 241 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions.
After the win, Burrow was seen sporting a walking boot and a crutch. He previously missed the final six games of his 2020 rookie season after tearing his ACL, PCL, MCL, and meniscus, and the last half-dozen games of the 2023 campaign after tearing a wrist ligament.
Once again, the Bengals will attempt to plow forward sans their star signal-caller.
What does this mean for Bengals in 2025?
The Bengals finally started 2-0 for the first time under head coach Zac Taylor and are forced to deal with missing their star quarterback until mid-December. Woof.
The Bengals entered the offseason profiling as a club that would need to outscore opponents to return to the postseason after back-to-back 9-8 campaigns. In Week 1, the offense was stymied by Cleveland, with Burrow tossing for 113 yards. On Sunday, they outscored the Jags to move to 2-0 despite missing their starting QB for two-plus quarters.
If Cincy is to keep its playoff hopes alive while Burrow is out, Browning must utilize his array of weapons and play above his standing. Star wideout Ja'Marr Chase didn’t miss a beat Sunday after the QB change, earning 128 of his 165 receiving yards with Browning under center. He’ll need more of those games if Cincy is to remain in the race until Burrow returns.
The Bengals' defense will also need to continue getting star performances from Pro Bowler Trey Hendrickson, like they did Sunday, with the stud making some massive plays in the victory.
Make no mistake, every opponent on the schedule from now until mid-December is breathing a sigh of relief that they won’t have to face the MVP candidate.
Who is Jake Browning?
An undrafted free agent in 2019, Browning didn’t see a regular-season snap until 2023, when Burrow missed time. The backup went 4-3 over seven starts and notched a 70.4% completion rate with 1,936 passing yards, 12 TDs and seven INTs. During that run, Browning demonstrated an ability to execute Taylor’s scheme, the guts to make tight-window throws, smarts, and a willingness to give his playmakers a chance.
If he can replicate that play over the next three months, the Bengals will have a shot.
“I feel very confident in Jake," Zac Taylor told reporters on Monday. "I think that Jake has proven his caliber in this league, and he can help us win football games and contend for all the things we want to contend for."
Turnovers will be key. He tossed three INTs in two-plus quarters on Sunday. We’ll forgive some of those issues as he was thrust into the game mid-stream. However, he’ll have to negate some of the negatives against superior opponents.
If the Bengals defense stops forcing turnovers like they have through the first two weeks, Cincy will need the offense to bail them out. There was a level of confidence that with Burrow under center, they could do just that. That thought process takes a dent with Browning under center.
It’s no shot to the 29-year-old signal-caller that the sullen sky feels like it’s falling in Cincy today. Few teams could overcome the loss of their superstar quarterback for such a long stretch.
Are there other QB options Cincy could explore?
Given Browning's performance in 2023, Taylor will ride the backup in hopes of coaxing a similar -- if not a better performance -- in 2025. But if the wheels start to fall off or another injury strikes, are there any better options available?
Cincy could reach out to Atlanta to see how much it’d cost to pry away Kirk Cousins, but that seems far-fetched. The Bengals' front office surely doesn’t want to part with draft capital for an aging lottery ticket with whom there is no guarantee will perform better than a street free agent.
Jameis Winston would be another veteran option and would likely cost far less than Cousins. The Giants have been adamant they don’t want to trade the veteran, but keeping a QB3 on a losing team seems superfluous if they could get anything back. (Again, it’s a stretch to believe the Bengals would part with anything of substance for a placeholder.)
With Brett Rypien on the practice squad as the other signal-caller on the roster, Cincy will likely add a backup in some form. Desmond Ridder spent the offseason with the Bengals but didn’t impress during the preseason and was released. He could return as a practice arm who at least has some experience in the offense.
The market for experienced signals-callers who could actually usurp Browning isn’t pretty. Ryan Tannehill? The veteran hasn’t played since 2023. His name might get brought up, but there has been no indication he’d attempt a return to the gridiron.
Other veteran free agents: Kyle Trask, a former second-round pick with very little playing time. Career backup Nate Sudfeld? Gunslinger Taylor Heinicke at least has some starting experience. Mike White? Tim Boyle?
"We’re always open to bringing in other people," Taylor said on Monday. "At this point we’ve got two quarterbacks sitting in this room. I’m sure we’ll turn over a lot of rocks trying to find another guy.”
What is turf toe?
The name sounds innocuous. It belies the pain.
A sprain of the big toe joint usually occurs when it’s forcefully bent upward, causing extreme pain in the base of the primary digit, painful stiffness and limited motion. It can be excruciating with every push off.
A Grade 3 tear is a complete rip of the ligaments, causing significant swelling and the inability to push off. With every flex, it can feel like nails are being driven into the bottom of your foot.
It’s nasty business.
O-line issues to blame for Burrow’s injury history?
Following the latest injury to Burrow, there will be a new round of discussion about the Bengals' inability to protect their franchise signal-caller.
Since drafting the signal-caller in 2020, the Bengals have had a bottom-10 offensive line each campaign. Burrow has taken 201 sacks in five-plus seasons, including a league-high 51 in 2021. The quarterback has shown otherworldly ability to stand in versus pressure and deliver to his playmakers. However, the hits take their toll. This season will mark the third campaign in six years he’ll miss at least six tilts.
Some injuries are a fluke, but the sheer number of hits he’s taken makes Burrow more susceptible to injuries like the one he experienced on Sunday.
It's not as if the Bengals haven’t tried to find solutions, including using a first-round pick on tackle Amarius Mims in 2024 and tossing money at Orlando Brown Jr. However, the attempts have never coalesced into a sturdy group. Undoubtedly, Burrow wouldn’t blame his O-line for the most recent issue, but the organization’s blind spot in finding good answers for protecting their franchise QB could cost them a season.