Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow appears to have risen from the ashes. The LSU alum has been making steady progress in his rehab from wrist surgery, and Bengals fans now have reason to rejoice.
Burrow is now back on the field and throwing, via Cincinnati's X account.
This is the first video of Burrow throwing since he suffered the season-ending wrist injury in Week 11 against the Baltimore Ravens. After his surgery on November 27th, the recovery timeline was said to have been between four-to-six months, via SB Nation. Now that it's been five months, the superstar should be close to 100%.
Will a fully-healed Burrow be able to lead the Bengals to the promised land this year?
Joe Burrow has to bring the Bengals a ring to complete his legacy
Not only did Burrow throw at OTAs, but he also looked good while doing it, via Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. Burrow reportedly threw with full velocity and accuracy, causing his supporting cast to marvel at his skill
Tight end Mike Gesicki mentioned that the velocity “might hurt your hands.” Wide receiver Kwamie Lassiter said “He didn't miss a beat…Whatever he did in the offseason worked.”
Fellow wide receiver Andrei Iosivas said “You like the amount of power he has on it. I feel like that's what you're looking for. You like to see the velocity.”
Iosivas also caught some deep passes from Burrow, so he appears to have his throwing range back as well.
“He was pushing it on the deeper throws down the field,” Iosivas said. “He was slinging it and really putting some heat on those (passes).”
Additionally, Bengals quarterbacks coach Brad Kragthorpe was fully satisfied with Burrow's performance.
“I think he looked as quick and as athletic as I've seen him look,” Kragthorpe said. “He looked like the Joe Burrow we're used to seeing. I didn't see any difference. I thought the ball came out of his hand well. Confidently. I'm happy where he's at.”
Burrow will be fully ready for Week 1 as long as he doesn't suffer another injury before then. Assuming he maintains his health, the former Heisman Trophy winner will have no excuse to not have another banner season.
Burrow, who currently tops the NFL all-time list with a 68% completion percentage, is one of the AFC's best hopes towards dethroning Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. When the 2020 first-overall pick went down last year, it helped clear the runway on the Chiefs' road to their second consecutive championship.
With Kansas City's championship window not closing anytime soon, Burrow and the Bengals have their work cut out for them. If they can beat the Chiefs in the playoffs again, it could cause the NFL crown to start shifting away from the defending champions.
Additionally, if Burrow has another MVP-caliber season, he could be in line for another Comeback Player of the Year award. He previously won it in 2021 after suffering a season-ending injury in 2020.
One issue that Cincinnati could have is the run game. With the departure of Joe Mixon, the team's rushing production could take a hit. However, the team has shown it can overcome long odds before. Burrow led them to a Super Bowl berth in 2021 with one of the weakest offensive lines in the league. Don't be surprised if the former CFP champion takes them the distance again.
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