Latest Joe Burrow injury update offers more optimism for Bengals QB's return timeline

The Cincinnati Bengals are trying to ride out the storm with Joe Burrow on the shelf due to injury and put themselves in position to at least be in the postseason hunt by the time he gets back.

Things were not going good on that front with Jake Browning under center, but the trade for Joe Flacco has proven to be a godsend thus far and now the Bengals have some hope they can accomplish the aforementioned task.

However, the entire season still rides on Burrow's toe, which is expected to sideline him until mid-December, which would place his return around Week 15 or 16.

When it comes to that timeline, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports that Burrow's rehab is going well and him coming back in mid-December is very much in play.

Schultz adds that if things continue to go well in terms of the Bengals winning games, they could be buyers at the trade deadline. He also says star EDGE Trey Hendrickson is not available.

"If they beat the Jets and they go to 4-4, with the way the AFC North is shaping up, the way that Joe Burrow is rehabbing, which from everything I've been told is going excellent, meaning he could be back mid-December, it would be very sensible for Cincinnati to add another player at the deadline," Schultz said.

"A lot of teams have called, they tried, but Cincinnati right now has no intention on trading their star pass-rusher," Schultz concluded.

Schultz's report tracks with a recent one from NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, who reported last Thursday that Burrow is on track for that mid-December timeline.

"He is on track (and) doing well, has had no setbacks" Rapoport said of the Bengals signal-caller. "Which means, if this continues in this direction, he should be back on the field mid-December and has told people close to him he absolutely intends to be back, just need the team to stay alive until then." 

This is all obviously great news, as it wasn't clear if Burrow would be back at all this season, let alone for the end of the regular season.

Now, the Bengals have to stay afloat for about another eight or nine weeks.

The Bengals have a layup in Week 8 against the lowly New York Jets, but things get tough after that, with the Bengals closing out their schedule against possible playoff teams like Chicago, Pittsburgh, New England and Buffalo.

Cincinnati also has two matchups against the down-and-out Ravens, who figure to have Lamar Jackson back for both of them. Arizona and Cleveland remain the easiest matchups left on the Bengals' schedule outside of the Jets.

Not an easy slate, but certainly doable if Flacco can keep playing at the level he did in Week 7.

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