Nicely, we jinxed it!

All of the speak about Joe Burrow lastly having a traditional camp and perhaps even making his first preseason sport look drove off the Bengals observe discipline on a golf cart final week, leaving the Bengals offense with out their chief for “a number of weeks.”

Within the immortal phrases of one other nice quarterback, Shane Falco, in The Replacements, “Ache heels. Chicks dig scars. Glory lasts ceaselessly.”

All is just not misplaced. Burrow can be again, and the objective stays the identical: Win the entire thing.

Returning Gamers:

Additions:

• Trevor Siemian
• Reid Sinnett

Departures:

The Forged

I’m normally the final individual to get excited a couple of backup quarterback, however proper now, the significance is fairly apparent.

We don’t know precisely when Joe Burrow can be again, however we all know this offense has a plethora of weapons and an improved offensive line.

However who might be the trigger-man to maintain this offense firing?

In Trevor Siemian, they’ve a backup quarterback who has high quality beginning expertise within the NFL.

Though he didn’t throw a go throughout his rookie season with the Broncos, he nonetheless gained a Tremendous Bowl ring.

Peyton Manning retired after that sport, and Siemian gained the beginning job. In 2016, he began 14 video games, profitable eight, and threw for 3,401 yards with 18 touchdowns vs. 10 interceptions. That 12 months, he was invited to the Professional Bowl as an alternate.

The next season, head coach Gary Kubiak was changed by Vance Joseph. (Future Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan, then an offensive assistant with the Broncos, left on the identical time.)

At that time, the quarterback scenario acquired murky.

Although he misplaced some begins to Brock Osweiler, Paxton Lynch, and a shoulder harm, Siemian compiled a 5-5 document in a season by which Denver gained solely 5 video games. Not nice, however actually higher than the opposite guys.

That’s the place Siemian’s profession path goes chilly. He has bounced round, spending a season every with the Vikings, Jets, Titans, Saints, and Bears. He by no means noticed the sphere for the Vikings or Titans and did not win a sport as a starter with the opposite three golf equipment.

A newcomer to Cincinnati, Siemian will get much more reps in camp with Burrow’s absence. The silver lining in that is that he, together with the opposite quarterbacks, will get a greater really feel for the offense and offensive personnel. In the event that they have to be known as on within the common season, they are going to be prepared.

So who else is there?

Jake Browning was as soon as a extremely hyped-up draft prospect, however he by no means took the massive step ahead that his coaches on the College of Washington had been hoping for. He ended up going undrafted in 2019. He signed as a UDFA with the Vikings (lacking Siemian by a 12 months) and spent two seasons with the Vikings earlier than coming to Cincinnati in 2021. He has been on the Bengals observe squad for the final two seasons.

Even earlier than the Burrow harm, there was a sign that Browning could have an actual shot on the backup job. The truth that the Bengals activated him final season to stop him from being swiped off their observe squad by one other workforce provides validity to that declare.

Browning has expertise, and with the sort of offensive firepower round him, he could lead on the workforce to some wins over the quick time period.

Burrow’s harm led the Bengals to herald one other quarterback. Who you ask?

He was once an Eagle. No, not Carson Wentz.

He was once a Dolphin. No, not Teddy Bridgewater.

His title is Reid Sinnett, and he additionally was once a Buccaneer and a Brahma, no matter that’s.

Though Zac Taylor has been reluctant to set a timetable for Burrow’s return, the truth that they didn’t signal an even bigger title provides you a fairly good thought of the prognosis. Each Siemian and Browning are more likely to be with the workforce all season. Sinnett is right here to stop their arms from falling off earlier than the tip of August.

2023 Outlook

Nothing has ever come straightforward for this Bengals workforce, so why ought to that change now?

It will be implausible to have Burrow all through camp, working with new tight finish Irv Smith and rookie receivers Charlie Jones and Andre Iosivas, amongst others, however that was not meant to be.

Nonetheless, he’s Joe Burrow. He’ll be able to go when his calf has healed.

Optimistically, Siemian may have a repeat of his rookie season, the place he did nothing however take a knee and earned a Tremendous Bowl ring.

The Future

As Rod Tidell advised his agent, Jerry McGuire within the movie of the identical title, “Present me the cash.”

The Bengals are going to pay Joe Burrow and lock him up for the long run. He’s an unimaginable competitor and top-of-the-line quarterbacks within the league. Maybe simply as vital is that he has purchased in utterly to Zac Taylor and this teaching workers.

Maybe as soon as the Browns/Blackburns again up the Brinks truck as much as his home, Joe will resolve to lease a cabin out in the course of nowhere within the offseason. Similar to Tom Brady used to do, he can invite his favourite go catchers out to throw the rock round and construct a rapport away from distractions.

I do know one factor, this 12 months’s offensive line’s Christmas items are going to be lit!