The Cincinnati Bengals might be sitting at 2-1, but they have lost their star QB, Joe Burrow, early in the season. He suffered a Grade 3 turf toe injury in Week 2 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was soon put on IR, and in his absence, Jake Browning took the charge. Everything looked hopeful until the Zac Taylor’s Bengals were hammered in their match against the Minnesota Vikings.
The Bengals lost 48-10 to the Vikings, the worst defeat by point margin in their franchise history. Starter Chase Brown had only 10 carries for three yards. Even Browning had tossed one touchdown and two interceptions, and he already leads the NFL in interceptions (5). This was the Bengals’ worst offensive display, and Zac Taylor addressed the loss. “As a unit, we’ve got to be better in the run game,” Taylor said. Now, it appears that Zac has found a way to improve the offense, or at least thought of a plan to avoid INTs.
There are speculations that the Bengals will trade for the Los Angeles Rams’ Jimmy Garoppolo to solve their offensive crisis. If the Bengals are looking for a QB who carries the Super Bowl Experience with him, then Jimmy Garoppolo is the perfect choice. However, that’s another thing that he hasn’t taken a snap in either of the 2 wins. Garoppolo is entering his 12th NFL season, and aside from his experience, he will be a relatively light addition to the Bengals’ budget. Currently, he is under a one-year contract, with a base salary of $1.25 million. This gives Rams the flexibility to let him walk after the end of the current season.
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In the last season, Garoppolo played only one game with the Rams, but he still made an impression on the gridiron. Although he lost the matchup of Week 18, he threw 334 yards and had two touchdowns. Back in 2019, he threw for 3,978 yards and 27 touchdowns and led the 49ers to a Super Bowl appearance. Aside from this, there is one more reason why Zac Taylor would love to trade for Garoppolo: familiarity.
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Garoppolo is currently playing with the Rams under head coach Sean McVay. In 2017 and 2018, Taylor worked for Sean McVay. Zac Taylor has been seen earlier preferring familiarity when he signed Mike White and Sean Clifford. Taylor cited “familiarity” as the reason for signing these two players, as they have been coached by individuals with whom Taylor has worked. It appears that the same familiarity can become a strong reason to trade Garoppolo.
Inside Zac Taylor’s QB’s injury situation
Last Friday, Burrow underwent a successful surgery for his Grade 3 turf toe injury at Birmingham’s Andrews Sports Medicine and Orthopedic Center. It was Dr. Norman Waldrop who performed the procedure. On 22nd September, Burrow was in the Bengals’ locker room. His foot was wrapped in a cast, and he was using a rolling scooter for movement. He was there for the team meeting, but this doesn’t mean he will be back with the team soon.
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According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Burrow isn’t going to travel with the Bengals for at least two weeks. He also clarified that “Burrow could potentially return in December if the Bengals’ record warrants it, and if his rehab goes perfectly.” Even Jay Glazer from Fox Sports said that the three-month recovery time is optimistic, and it will happen only when Burrow pushes it.
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All of this means that Burrow can be seen back on the gridiron in December. But two things must go smoothly for that- Burrow’s recovery and the Bengals qualifying for the playoffs. If the Bengals continue their last game’s performance for the rest of the season, Burrow might not have to even worry about a comeback.
