Bengals Open IR Window for Burrow's Return

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow returned to practice in a limited capacity on Monday, opening a 21-day window under NFL rules for the team to activate him from injured reserve. The move marks a step forward in his recovery from a turf toe injury sustained on September 14 during a Week 2 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, placing him ahead of an initial three-month timeline following surgery on September 19.

Burrow, a Pro Bowl selection and one of the league's top performers when healthy, has not played since that game. The Bengals opened the season 2-0 with him under center but have since stumbled to a 3-6 record in his absence. Backup Jake Browning started the four games immediately after the injury, with Cincinnati dropping each contest. On October 7, the team acquired veteran quarterback Joe Flacco in a trade with the Cleveland Browns. Flacco has stabilized the offense, completing 64.7 percent of his passes for an average of 313.5 yards per game and throwing 11 touchdowns against two interceptions in four starts. The Bengals have scored at least 33 points in each of his last three outings, a marked improvement from earlier struggles.