Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor offered a definitive “yes” on cornerback Chidobe Awuzie’s status for Sunday’s season opener at Cleveland, but he remained non-committal on quarterback Joe Burrow.
Will Joe Burrow Be Ready To Play the Browns on Sunday?
“He’s just gonna take it day to day right now,” Taylor said of Burrow, who on Monday took part in his third consecutive practice since straining his calf on July 27.
Offensive coordinator Brian Callahan said last week the team has a plan in place for Burrow to be ready to play Week 1. And nothing that has happened since Burrow returned to the practice field Wednesday has altered the plan.
Taylor used the word “encouraging” to describe Burrow’s progress when talking about what he needs to see this week to feel good about starting him against the Browns.
“Just keep getting reps in,” Taylor said. “I thought today was a really good day for him. It was encouraging to see. So we’ll just take it one day at a time.”
Asked what constitutes a good rep for Burrow in practice, Taylor again kept it simple:
“Completing the ball, which he’s done a lot of,” he said.
The players will be off Tuesday and then return Wednesday to dive fully into game prep for the Browns, a team that owns five consecutive victories against the Bengals in Cleveland. However, Burrow has only started two of those contests and has averaged 274 passing yards while throwing five touchdowns and one interception.
MORE: Where Does Burrow Land in PFN’s QB Power Rankings
Burrow is 1-2 in season openers, including last year’s 23-20 overtime loss to the Steelers, in which he threw four interceptions and lost a fumble in his first action since undergoing an emergency appendectomy.
The recovery from the calf strain has not involved the same sort of rebuild of weight and strength, and the Bengals are confident Burrow will look like his old self as soon as he’s ready to go. They’re just not ready to confirm that will be Sunday, even though nothing suggests it won’t be.
Listen to the PFN Bengals Podcast
Listen to the PFN Bengals Podcast! Click the embedded player below to listen, or you can find the PFN Bengals Podcast on iTunes, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms. Be sure to subscribe and leave us a five-star review! Rather watch instead? Check out the PFN Bengals Podcast on our NFL YouTube channel.