Joe Burrow Will Miss 'Several Weeks' With Calf Strain, Coach Zac Taylor Says

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow will miss "several weeks" with a calf strain, according to head coach Zac Taylor.

The news comes just a day before the Bengals were set to practice at Paycor Stadium as part of the NFL's "back together weekend." And with the team's open training camp period starting on Monday.

Burrow was carted off the field after pulling up during a team drill at practice on Thursday. The non-contact nature of the injury led to worst case fears of a torn ACL. But Taylor provided the update to reporters Friday afternoon, explaining that it appears Burrow's avoided a more significant injury.

Still, the strain means that he'll miss a significant amount of practice time. The Bengals' first preseason game is also just two weeks away, which would seem to rule the 26-year-old star out.

When pressed for whether or not the strain could impact Burrow's regular season availability, Taylor demurred.

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JANUARY 29: Joe Burrow #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals looks on during the AFC Championship NFL football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Cincinnati Bengals at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on January 29, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)

Burrow Injury To Hamper Cincinnati's Regular Season?

Depending on the severity, the recovery time for Burrow could easily stretch into the start of the regular season. The Bengals' first game of the season is September 10th, just over six weeks away.

Calf strains can sometimes take roughly that amount of time to fully heal. Sometimes longer, if it's a more severe issue.

Assuming he isn't out longer than the "several week" period, the impact to the Bengals should be minimal. But a longer absence would mean potentially missing games against the Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens and Los Angeles Rams; far from an optimal scenario.

Burrow is coming off yet another outstanding season, with 34 touchdowns and nearly 4,500 yards passing. Backup Trevor Semien is expected to get more reps while he misses practice.