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ESPN Staff Writer- Ben Baby covers the Cincinnati Bengals for ESPN. He joined the company in July 2019. Prior to ESPN, he worked for various newspapers in Texas, most recently at The Dallas Morning News where he covered college sports. He provides daily coverage of the Bengals for ESPN.com, while making appearances on SportsCenter, ESPN's NFL shows and ESPN Radio programs. A native of Grapevine, Texas, he graduated from the University of North Texas with a bachelor's degree in journalism. He is an adjunct journalism professor at Southern Methodist University and a member of the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA).
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ESPN Senior Writer- Stephania Bell is a senior writer and injury analyst for ESPN. Stephania is a member of the FSWA Hall of Fame and a certified orthopedic clinical specialist and strength and conditioning specialist. She also appears on "Fantasy Football Now" and the Fantasy Focus Football podcast.
CINCINNATI -- As Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was helped into the locker room because of an injured toe in the first half of Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the future of a team with Super Bowl aspirations limped into uncertainty.
Burrow was ruled out in the second half, but that didn't stop the Bengals from pulling out a 31-27 win for their first 2-0 start in seven years.
Jake Browning stepped in and completed 21 of 32 attempts for 241 yards with 2 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. He looks to be the starter for the foreseeable future after ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Burrow's turf toe could require surgery, according to sources. If surgery is deemed necessary, Burrow is expected to be sidelined for approximately three months.
Burrow has battled injuries throughout his career. Most recently, he suffered a season-ending right wrist injury in 2023, when Browning went 4-3 in relief. Burrow played in all 17 games in 2024 during a career year, which earned him Pro Bowl honors and made him an MVP finalist.
What does the injury mean for Burrow's season? And how will it impact the Bengals, including fantasy stars such as Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins? Bengals reporter Ben Baby, ESPN senior writer and injury analyst Stephania Bell and NFL fantasy analyst Matt Bowen break down the biggest questions.
How will the Bengals adjust to potentially losing Burrow for months?
If Burrow cannot play for an extended period, Browning will take over as the starter. Browning has plenty of experience in that role. In 2023, when Burrow suffered a season-ending right wrist injury, Browning started the final seven games and went 4-3.
Browning kept Cincinnati in the playoff hunt until Week 17, when the Bengals were eliminated after a loss to Kansas City. Still, Cincinnati finished that season 9-8 and did well enough that Tennessee hired Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan as head coach.
Browning spent his first four years in the NFL on practice squads before moving into the backup role in 2023. It also helps that Cincinnati bolstered its passing attack by re-signing Chase and Higgins this offseason. Chase finished Sunday's game against Jacksonville with 14 catches for 165 yards and 1 touchdown.
"We've been here before with Jake," Chase said. "We've got to let him be himself at the end of the day. We've all got to push him to [be] better, push us to be better and just execute." -- Baby
What exactly is turf toe?
Most commonly, it is a hyperextension injury at the big toe (forcing the toe to extend beyond its normal range of motion) that damages the associated ligaments and results in a turf toe injury. The name originates from the early days of artificial turf when cleats would engage with the turf and stick while the body weight came over the top of the foot, thus forcing the toes into hyperextension. But injury can happen on any surface.
With the big toe being the last part of the body to leave the ground during push-off, it is subject to the most potential strain. Players often describe the pain from the injury as feeling like a nail is being driven through the toe as they try to push off.
The degree of injury to the supportive soft tissue structures around the base of the big toe determines the severity. Excessive stretch resulting in pain and inflammation, but no structural damage, is considered a mild injury. Partial tearing of the ligaments in the area, with perhaps some mild instability, is considered a moderate injury. Mild and moderate injuries are typically treated with rest and rehabilitation and can generally heal on their own.
Complete tearing of the plate is a severe injury that requires surgical repair. The athlete loses the ability to push off the toe and experiences a decline in strength through the foot. In the case of a severe injury, failure to repair the plantar plate will leave the joint unstable and can lead to further degenerative changes of the joint (arthritis) over time, potentially making it difficult to walk. -- Bell
How long does it take to heal completely?
The range of time for healing can vary depending on factors unique to the athlete, but generally, mild-to-moderate injuries can heal within several weeks, scaling for severity from two to three weeks to six weeks or more. Surgical repair requires greater healing time, generally 12 to 14 weeks -- or longer -- before clearance to return to play. -- Bell
Are there special concerns when a QB has the injury?
Whether it is driving through the leg to throw, dropping back to pass, pivoting to hand off the ball, or perhaps most importantly, having enough mobility to protect oneself, the big toe plays a critical role for a quarterback. The ability to perform all aspects of the position without limitation is crucial for a successful return.
Footwear adaptation, such as a more rigid shoe or a carbon fiber insert to limit motion of the involved joint, is typically part of the plan, as well. -- Bell
What impact will Browning have on Chase, Higgins and Chase Brown in fantasy?
When Browning relieved Burrow in '23, he averaged 19.1 points per game. An aggressive thrower, Browning will attack tight windows and push the ball to the third level of the defense.
That works for Chase, who will remain a volume target with top-3 upside in weekly rankings. Higgins still has breakout-game ability with Browning at QB due to his formation flexibility and vertical presence; however, Higgins will slide into the WR3 range.
In the run game, Brown will get the touches to stick in the RB2 mix, while he has the traits to produce as an underneath outlet for Browning on checkdowns and screens. -- Bowen
Who will back up Browning, and are there other options?
The Bengals have just two quarterbacks on their roster: Browning and Burrow. If Burrow is forced to go on injured reserve, Brett Rypien is the logical choice to be the team's No. 3 quarterback. Rypien, 29, has appeared in 10 NFL games since entering the league in 2020 and is on the practice squad.
In that scenario, Cincinnati is still one quarterback short of what it typically carries throughout the season. If Rypien is signed to the active roster, that opens a spot on the practice squad. However, if it's a short-term absence for Burrow, the Bengals could also elevate Rypien up to three times before being forced to carry him on the 53-player roster.
Cincinnati has taken a deep look at its reserve quarterback in recent months. In training camp, the Bengals got rid of Logan Woodside and replaced him with Desmond Ridder. Ridder, a 2022 third-round draft pick by the Falcons, was cut at the end of the preseason and replaced by Rypien. -- Baby