Burrow (wrist) is slated to enter the 2024 season with a revamped skill-position group, with Joe Mixon set to be traded to the Texans, Zack Moss inking a two-year deal as his replacement, and numerous shifts in the receiving game, Ben Baby of ESPN reports. Burrow will have to cope with more than just a new-look backfield, though it remains to be seen whether Moss can adequately fill Mixon's shoes, even after he proved so productive filling in for Jonathan Taylor at the start of last season. Tyler Boyd is currently a free agent, while explosive tight end Mike Gesicki is poised to ink a one-year deal with the Bengals, giving Burrow a replacement target in the middle of the field. Perhaps most important, though, is the fact that Tee Higgins has requested a trade, as Jared Goffinet of Fox 19 Cincinnati reports. That situation may not resolve in the near future, and further changes on offense could still occur in free agency and the 2024 NFL Draft, but in any scenario, Ja'Marr Chase will remain the pillar of this receiving game. For his part, Burrow is expected to be cleared for full contact by mid-May, as he continues his recovery from Nov. 27 surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right wrist.
Burrow (wrist) said Sunday that he expects to be "cleared for full contact and everything" by mid-May, ESPN.com's Ben Baby reports. Burrow also said he's able to lift weights "basically normally now" and has started throwing small medicine balls as part of his rehab. The QB had surgery Nov. 27 to repair a torn ligament in his right wrist, 11 days after suffering the injury in a Week 11 loss at Baltimore. Prior to that, Burrow had found his groove with multiple TD passes in five straight games, bouncing back strong after throwing just two TDs over the first four weeks of the season while dealing with a lingering calf injury from training camp. He anticipates being ready for his normal throwing routine at OTAs, though it sounds like he'll take it slow until then.
Per Kelsey Conway of The Cincinnati Enquirer, Burrow tore a ligament in his right wrist during Thursday's loss to the Ravens and thus is trending toward needing season-ending surgery, according to Geoff Hobson of the Bengals' official site. In Burrow's looming absence, Jake Browning is next up at QB for the team, with AJ McCarron currently on Cincinnati's practice squad.
Burrow finished the afternoon with a perfectly acceptable fantasy stat line, but his pair of fourth-quarter interceptions were particularly detrimental despite neither directly leading to Texans points. His first pick came at Houston's 11-yard line, while the second transpired in the end zone and short-circuited what had been an encouraging seven-play, 78-yard drive. Burrow's highlights did include a picturesque 64-yard touchdown strike to Ja'Marr Chase, which was preceded by a 32-yard scoring toss to Trenton Irwin to cap off Cincinnati's opening possession. Burrow may not have Tee Higgins (hamstring) back for a critical Week 11 divisional road clash against the Ravens on Thursday night, but he'll head into the contest with two- and five-game streaks of 300-yard tallies and multi-touchdown efforts, respectively.
The Week 7 bye appeared to do wonders for Burrow's mobility, as the 2020 first overall pick looked completely healed from his calf strain while befuddling a slumping 49ers defense all afternoon. Burrow was nearly perfect on the day despite taking three sacks and getting hit frequently, and he connected with seven different targets overall. Burrow's connection with Ja'Marr Chase was especially in fine shape -- he hit the star receiver on 10 occasions for 100 yards and a 17-yard touchdown -- and the signal-caller also recorded seven- and two-yard scoring tosses to Tyler Boyd and Andrei Iosivas, respectively. Burrow appears to be back in top form just in time for a Week 9 home showdown with the Bills next Sunday night.