‘I Know I’m Pretty Damn Good’ — Bengals QB Joe Burrow Confident, Fiery After Rehabbing Wrist Injury

CINCINNATI — There was a buzz at the Cincinnati Bengals’ first training camp practice, and it had nothing to do with quarterback Joe Burrow’s new haircut.

It had everything to do with the way his passes cut through the air.

The last time we saw Burrow throwing passes to teammates was at minicamp last month when he appeared to be throwing half-speed.

Joe Burrow Turns Up Velocity, Intensity in First Bengals Camp Practice

Today the zip was back.

“I was happy with today,” Burrow said after practice. “Still have some throws — ‘What did that look like?’ Usually, it goes where I want it to, but sometimes it doesn’t spin the way I want it to. So we’re still working through that.

“But I feel really good about where I’m at,” he added. “I feel like I kind of figured something out toward the end of the practice there in individuals. I’m looking forward to exploring that more.”

Two of Burrow’s first three passes went to Tee Higgins, who was making his return to the practice field after sitting out OTAs and minicamp due to his frustration with the team using the franchise tag on him and, according to him, refusing to negotiate after that.

Both passes to Higgins were incomplete. The first went off the receiver’s hands, while the second appeared to be an overthrow, although Higgins took the blame on that one saying he wasn’t able to catch up to it and needed to get his legs back.

“Tee’s going to have a big year,” Burrow said. “It’s nice looking out there and seeing big, long, and strong Tee lining up. I saw him out there, and I screamed, ‘Tee, it’s good to have you back’ on one of the reps today. It’s just nice to see him back out there. He’s getting his feet back under him just like everybody is, but he’s in a good spot.”

The offensive line also is getting its legs back under them, and that was evident on back-to-back plays in an 11-on-11 drill when Burrow couldn’t even get a pass off due to the pressure.

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After the second one, he screamed, “Come on, let’s go.”

After taking one day off each week during the offseason program, Burrow expects to continue mixing in rest days early in camp.

“We’re going to play it by ear,” he said. “We don’t really plan on practicing more than two days in a row in this first chunk, so we’ll play that third day by ear for the next week, and then after that I plan on going every day.”

.@JoeyB never change 🥹 pic.twitter.com/SNXLKZNbMS

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) July 24, 2024

The Bengals will be back on the field Thursday, which means Friday’s practice is likely to be one where Burrow sits. The team has an off day on Saturday and will return for an evening practice on Sunday.

Burrow said he’s pleased with where he is in terms of his recovery, but he knows there is more ground to gain.

“I’m going to continue to get the dexterity that I need as we continue to throw through all of these days in camp, and individuals (drill) is going to be a big part of that,” he said. “So I feel really good. My whole body is feeling great. We’re going to continue to adapt and evolve depending on whatever challenges are presented but I’m in a good spot.”

It wouldn’t be a Bengals training camp with injury questions from Burrow. In 2021 he was coming off the ACL. In 2022 he missed time following an appendectomy. Last year it was the calf injury on Day 2 of camp.

This year it’s the home stretch of the wrist injury he suffered in November.

He’s endured a lot heading into his fifth season in the league.

“You grow and learn every year,” he said. “I know I’m pretty damn good. I have been. Going to continue to improve year to year, day to day. I think that’s how you have to approach it.

“I’m focused on continued improvement, and I’m really happy with the offseason that I had. I’m really happy to have this training camp to continue to hone my skills and improve and build this team chemistry for this run we’re about to go on.”