For the second time in the last three season, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow will miss a large chunk of the season.
Burrow went down with a turf toe injury in Sunday's 31-27 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars after getting sacked by Jaguars pass-rusher Arik Armstead. He was replaced by Jake Browning, who threw for 241 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions and rushed for another score.
After further evaluation and an MRI, it was revealed Burrow had a Grade 3 turf toe injury, meaning surgery was unavoidable and he'd be sidelined until December.
"There's not a lot we can do right now for Joe other than I feel terrible for him because put in all the work," head coach Zac Taylor said, via ESPN's Adam Schefter. "For him to have to go through this is the worst part of it. But as a football team, we just have to continue to move forward."
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Schefter also reported the Bengals are expected to call around to find a new backup QB capable of starting as insurance should Browning struggle or there's another injury.
According to Packer Report's Easton Butler, one of the first calls Cincinnati made was to the Green Bay Packers about backup Malik Willis.
A third-round pick of the Tennessee Titans in 2022, Willis was traded to the Green Bay Packers last offseason when the team committed to Will Levis as its full-time starter.
Willis went 2-0 filling in for Jordan Love last season, passing for 550 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions while rushing for 138 yards and another touchdown.
It's unlikely the Packers are looking to move Willis given they have no other quarterback on the 53-man roster behind Jordan Love.
Willis isn't the only QB on Cincinnati's radar. The Bengals also worked out former Cleveland Browns signal-caller Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason but was among the team's cuts in August.
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