The Bengals are off to a tricky begin to the 2023 NFL season and issues might worsen earlier than they get higher.
After Cincinnati’s Week 2 loss to the Ravens, star quarterback Joe Burrow advised the media he “tweaked” the identical proper calf that brought about him to overlook practically your complete preseason.
“I am unsure how it’ll really feel the subsequent couple days,” Burrow stated. “It is fairly sore proper now however no telling how it’ll really feel so I feel we will take it day-by-day.”
On Monday, head coach Zac Taylor stated it is arduous to say whether or not Burrow can be able to play within the Bengals Week 3 “Monday Night time Soccer” matchup with the Rams, and that the workforce remains to be within the analysis course of.
MORE: Can the Bengals recuperate from one other 0-2 begin?
If Burrow is not in a position to go well with up, who’s the subsequent quarterback up on the Bengals’ depth chart?
Bengals QB depth chart
1. Joe Burrow
Burrow is, in fact, the Bengals’ beginning quarterback. The 26-year-old not too long ago grew to become the highest-paid participant in NFL historical past, inking a five-year, $275 million deal simply days earlier than the beginning of the 2023 season.
Burrow has been battling a proper calf harm for the reason that preseason, and he hasn’t seemed 100% by way of two video games to date.
The star QB solely threw for 82 yards with zero touchdowns in Cincinnati’s season-opening loss in opposition to the Browns. He adopted that efficiency with 222 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in opposition to the Ravens, but it surely additionally got here in a dropping effort.
After “tweaking” his proper calf in opposition to Baltimore, it’s going to be price monitoring Burrow’s standing all the way in which up till the Bengals’ “Monday Night time Soccer” showdown in opposition to the Rams in Week 3.
2. Jake Browning
If Burrow cannot go, the Bengals should flip over the keys of the offense to Browning — the one backup QB on their depth chart.
Browning went undrafted in 2018 after 4 spectacular seasons at Washington. The 2016 Pac-12 Offensive Participant of the 12 months threw for over 12,000 yards in faculty, pitching 94 touchdowns to only 34 interceptions with a 64.6 % completion fee.
In 5 NFL seasons, that is the primary time Browning has made a workforce’s lively roster.
He has solely performed 4 snaps in his NFL profession — coming on the finish of the Bengals’ Week 1 loss to the Browns — and he is by no means accomplished a cross.
This preseason, Browning threw for 277 yards, one landing and two interceptions with a 71.1 completion share over three video games.
Observe squad: Will Grier
Grier is the lone quarterback on the Bengals’ apply squad.
Grier was drafted by the Panthers within the third spherical of the 2019 NFL Draft after three seasons of school soccer between Florida and West Virginia.
Grier has solely appeared in two NFL video games, each with Carolina through the 2019 season. He solely threw for 228 yards, accomplished simply 53.8 % of his cross makes an attempt and had 4 interceptions with zero touchdowns.
He was reduce by the Cowboys in August earlier than signing with Cincinnati’s apply squad.