The 2023 NFL season ended prematurely for quarterback Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals due to injuries, which limited him to just 10 games. He now has a timeframe for when he will be completely cleared to resume contact, and it is anticipated that he will be ready for the start of the 2024 season.

This past weekend, Burrow told ESPN that he anticipates being cleared to throw and make contact by the time the team’s offseason practices begin in mid-May.

He is gradually working his way up to footballs after beginning with little medicine balls.

In November, Burrow’s throwing hand suffered a damaged wrist ligament, ending his season.

That happened after a calf injury sustained during training camp earlier in the season kept him sidelined until several weeks into the season. His output was obviously hindered by the injury during the first two months of the season, which contributed to the Bengals’ sluggish start.

In Burrow’s place, backup quarterback Jake Browning took over and guided the Bengals to a 4-3 record while exceeding expectations. During Browning’s three starts, the Pittsburgh Steelers (twice) and Kansas City Chiefs were the playoff teams he lost against.

Even if Browning’s performance was encouraging, the Bengals must be thrilled about the prospect of having Burrow return with a clean slate and in good health. As one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL, he contributes to their rise to the stature of a real Super Bowl contender.

To help safeguard Burrow, the Bengals still need to make improvements to their offensive line and defense, but a franchise quarterback often hides a lot of shortcomings.

Prior to Burrow’s wrist injury, the Bengals had won five of the seven games in which he was playing some of his finest football of the year.