Sports injury expert says Bengals’ Joe Burrow needs ‘prolonged rest,’ recommends at least four-week absence

Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has been noncommittal about enjoying on Monday evening after aggravating a calf pressure in Cincinnati’s Week 2 defeat. However the smartest resolution could be for Burrow to take a seat out at the least a month.

Days after CBS Sports activities’ resident Bengals professional John Breech argued that Cincy’s greatest wager to save lots of its 2023 season could possibly be to put Burrow on injured reserve, CBS Sports activities HQ damage analyst Marty Jaramillo says that is exactly the proper transfer.

“When it is reported there’s been a tweak or aggravation,” Jaramillo stated Friday, “meaning some quantity of scar tissue that is been laid down for therapeutic has been torn. The participant takes a step again. The query is, how far did he step again? Saying he is ‘daily’ is extremely optimistic and fairly unrealistic. Phrases associated to his availability like, ‘We’ll see’ and ‘daily,’ they sound to me like they’re coming from an elite, optimistic athlete. I consider he ought to be out at the least 4 weeks.”

Jaramillo, who’s practiced as a sports activities bodily therapist and athletic coach for greater than 30 years, is aware of a four-week absence could be “aggressive,” seeing as these selections are collaborative, incorporating opinions of crew docs, coaches and naturally the participant. He additionally believes the Bengals “felt comfy with the suggestions” on Burrow’s restoration previous to the season — not solely from docs however Burrow himself — which is why he was cleared to play. In different phrases, there is no motive to second-guess whether or not the QB was rushed again; each restoration performs out in a different way.

However the first two weeks of Burrow’s season are motive sufficient for Jaramillo to advocate a pivot.

“Here is what we all know: He was out for a month previous to the beginning of the season, which suggests he had what we might name a reasonable pressure, with a four- to six-week therapeutic window,” he defined. “He got here again on the sooner facet of that for the beginning of the season, and already we have seen his mobility being challenged. And here is what many people do not know: There’s an innate tentativeness that comes with calf strains. The tear happens through the section from drop-back to push-off within the pocket. And also you bear in mind while you tore it the primary time. The tentativeness comes from the damage reminiscence. With out query his mobility has been affected.”

A visit to injured reserve would assist Burrow’s calf absolutely heal, Jaramillo stated, whereas additionally assist in long-term prevention of future accidents, comparable to an Achilles tear. Wanting this, Burrow “runs the chance of enjoying with this all season,” and never solely that, however experiencing worsened results. It will not be a simple tablet for the QB, the Bengals or their followers to swallow, however Jaramillo is obvious: “I believe that the Joe Burrow we anticipate and we’ve seen, that Joe Burrow wants extended relaxation.”