Joe Burrow was a full participant in practice on Wednesday for the first time since Week 2, heightening interest around the Cincinnati Bengals bringing their franchise quarterback into the conversation as a candidate to start.
Head coach Zac Taylor said the team will “keep working through it” when asked if current starter Joe Flacco would definitely start this week.
“Joe Burrow hasn’t practiced in 11-on-11,” Taylor said before Burrow practiced Wednesday. “You can certainly get a lot of work in with Joe today. It works well where you’re not trying to balance a guy who isn’t going to practice on a Wednesday. Joe Flacco hasn’t done that.
“We’ll get through today and start to get Joe (Burrow) out there in 11-on-11 and see how it goes. He’ll do it today.”
Burrow had the Bengals off to a 2-0 start when he was placed on injured reserve on Sept. 16 and underwent surgery to repair a Grade 3 turf toe injury.
Without Burrow, Cincinnati is 1-7 behind quarterbacks Jake Browning and Flacco, who was acquired from the Cleveland Browns on Oct. 7 for a draft pick swap.
Flacco did not practice on Wednesday, following the pattern established when he joined the team and to continue treatment of a shoulder injury.
Last week, the Bengals opened a 21-day period to permit Burrow to practice with the team without counting against the 53-man active roster. He can be activated at any point during the 21 days.
The Bengals play the New England Patriots on Sunday and at Baltimore on Thanksgiving Day.
Wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase will serve a one-game suspension this week for spitting on Steelers defensive back Jalen Ramsey last Sunday in host Pittsburgh’s victory.
The toe injury has been another disappointing setback for Burrow, 28, already a two-time NFL Comeback Player of the Year following a season-ending knee injury in 2020 and a season-ending wrist injury in 2023.
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft is a two-time Pro Bowl selection and currently the league’s all-time leader in completion percentage at 68.5%.
