Joe Burrow went down with turf toe on September 14, out for what looks like at least three months. In that span, the Bengals have 11 regular-season games on the schedule through December 14, making it a full three months of football without their star QB.

Looking at the schedule, the Bengals face the Ravens on December 14, which naturally makes you wonder: Will Burrow be back for that one? NFL insider Albert Breer sounds optimistic about the Cincy QBs’ return.

Breer recently sat down with the Morning Juice podcast, where he answered a few questions about Burrow’s injury and expected return. But he made one thing clear: if there’s any way for Burrow to get back on the field, you can bet he’ll find it. “I mean, you feel horrible for Joe (Burrow),” Breer noted.

“All the injuries he’s had to be thrown, had to go through, and everything first and foremost. But if there’s a way to get back, just knowing who Joe is, I know he’ll do everything he can to get there, and yeah, it’ll be interesting to see, you know, how they, what they would look like in November and December if there’s a chance to get him back in the middle of December.”

The 28-year-old had a decent start against the Jaguars in Week 2. He completed 7-of-13 passes for 76 yards and one touchdown before the Jaguars’ Arik Armstead sacked him in the second quarter, resulting in turf toe. ESPN’s Adam Schefter confirmed that Burrow will now miss at least three months, given that he’s required to go under the knife to repair his toe.

“ESPN sources: Bengals QB Joe Burrow will need toe surgery that will sideline him a minimum of three months,” he posted on his official social media handle, Schefter wrote. In his absence, however, the Bengals’ Super Bowl contention has been severely bruised. The silver lining, though?

It’s Jake Browning at the helm. The Bengals’ backup QB guided the team to a 31-27 win over the Jaguars. Browning completed 21-of-32 for 241 yards and a couple of TDs. Now, imagine this: if Browning can steer Cincinnati to an 8-5 record, and Burrow comes back against the Ravens, the path to the playoffs suddenly looks a lot easier. Why?

Because, as Breer noted, the Bengals close out the season with the Dolphins, Cardinals, and Browns, the teams they have a good shot at winning. But then again, it’s the hypothetical world we’re talking about, yet remaining optimistic about the Bengals’ success (which is unlikely) and their starting QB’s return.

The Bengals reinforced their QB room after Joe Burrow’s injury

The Bengals wasted no time in reinforcing their quarterback room just a few days after Joe Burrow’s injury. The team recently announced that they’ve signed two quarterbacks ahead of Week 3. The former Jets quarterback, Mike White, and the former Packers quarterback Sean Clifford have joined the Bengals’ practice squad.

Clifford, a former Penn State signal caller, arrived in the NFL when the Packers picked him in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL draft. The 27-year-old spent a couple of seasons in Green Bay before the Packers released him on the roster cut-down day.

White, on the other hand, carries more experience than Clifford. A former fifth-rounder, White has been a journeyman quarterback ever since the Cowboys picked him in the 2018 draft. He spent most of his career with the Jets, starting 7 games with a 2-5 record, while completing 61.4% of his passes for 2,247 yards, nine touchdowns, and 13 interceptions.

For the time being, it’s safe to say that Jake Browning remains the Bengals’ starting quarterback amidst Joe Burrow’s injury. As for Burrow’s return? We expect him to make a comeback in December.