Cincinnati Bengals Elite Quarterback Officially back to 100% Months Ahead of 2024 Preseason
The Cincinnati Gunslinger will be back on the field to start the season in 2024.
Cincinnati Bengals quarterbacks AJ McCarron (4) and Joe Burrow (9) talk as the Bengals take on Minnesota Vikings at Paycor Stadium Saturday, December 16, 2023.
Although many fans are talking about the potential trading of wide receiver Tee Higgins, the Cincinnati Bengals’ offseason is focused on the health of superstar quarterback Joe Burrow. Last season, the team’s entire season derailed when Burrow suffered a torn ligament in his wrist in Week 11 against the Baltimore Ravens. After that moment, all playoff hopes for this Southwest Ohio club were immediately dashed for the year.
Cincinnati Bengals Superstar Returns to the Field in March 2024
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) throws during warm-ups before the first quarter of an NFL football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023, at Cleveland Browns Stadium in Cleveland.
Just months after the injury, Burrow has once again shown why he is regarded as the hardest worker in the National Football League. While there was initially some concern that Burrow would miss time during the 2024 preseason or even the regular season, Burrow was seen throwing footballs with no restrictions on Wednesday morning.
Joe Burrow has begun throwing regularly with no grip or strength issues in his right hand/wrist, per SI.
Comeback season is on schedule. 💪 #Bengals pic.twitter.com/yOACJb2uFN
— Cincinnati 💔 (@CincyProblems) March 27, 2024
When healthy, Burrow has demonstrated that he is amongst the best players in the entire league with a killer instinct that allows him to win games that the team should have absolutely no claim to. As of this moment, Burrow’s greatest achievement at the NFL level was the first Super Bowl berth for Cincinnati since 1989 when he took the team through Kansas City in early 2022.
Injured Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) walks to the locker room after overtime of the NFL Week 15 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Minnesota Vikings at PayCor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023. The Bengals won on an overtime field goal.
A new challenge will be presented to Burrow next season as he will have to figure out how to generate an elite offense without slot wide receiver Tyler Boyd and likely without star target man Higgins. Boyd is a free agent this season and is almost guaranteed to sign with another team. Higgins is under contract to play in Cincinnati next season after the team applied the franchise tag but the 6’4″ Clemson product demanded a trade shortly after. The team will still have Burrow’s collegiate teammate and arguably the best of the bunch in wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase but will be down two of three receivers for next season.
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase (1), center, is congratulated by Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd (83), Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon (28) and Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (85) after a touchdown catch in the first quarter during an NFL divisional playoff football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Buffalo Bills, Sunday, Jan. 22, 2023, at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y.
Even without two of his favorite targets from the past few seasons, Burrow will have additional target Mike Gesicki and two promising rookie receivers from 2023: slot receiver Charlie Jones and wide receiver Andrei Iosivas. Iosivas specifically showed promise in 2023 by pulling in four touchdown passes for the team even with Burrow missing most of the season.
WR Andrei Iosivas smiles and waves to fans after the Bengals beat the Cardinals on Sunday, October 8, 2023.
It will definitely be interesting to see if Burrow can continue his elite form in 2024 without Boyd and Higgins but if anyone can do it, this excellent LSU product will be the one.
Here are contract details from some of the latest deals agreed to around the league.
- Calvin Ridley, WR (Titans). Four years, $92MM. In addition to his $20MM signing bonus, Ridley will see his first two base salaries ($4.5MM, $22,5MM) fully guaranteed. If on Tennessee’s roster by Day 5 of the 2025 league year, Ridley will receive a $3.02MM guarantee for his 2026 base salary ($20.24MM), per OverTheCap. If Ridley remains on Tennessee’s roster by Day 5 of the 2026 league year, he will earn a $1MM bonus. This still stands to give the Titans some 2026 flexibility.
- Jerry Jeudy, WR (Browns). Three years, $52.5MM. The recently traded wideout’s base value, as expected, checks in lower than the initial numbers. The ex-Denver target will see guarantees into his the deal’s third year, with SI.com’s Albert Breer noting $6MM will be guaranteed for 2026. Jeudy received $41MM guaranteed at signing.
- Curtis Samuel, WR (Bills). Three years, $24MM. The Bills are guaranteeing $5MM of Samuel’s $6.91MM 2025 base salary at signing. The entire ’25 base is guaranteed for injury, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. Samuel will be due a $1MM roster bonus on Day 5 of the 2026 league year; his $6.51MM 2026 salary is nonguaranteed.
- John Simpson, G (Jets). Two years, $12MM. This number is down a bit from the initial $18MM figure, which is the deal’s max value. Simpson will see $6MM guaranteed, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini notes. The Jets used three void years to spread out the cap hits; the fifth-year guard is on New York’s books at $3.2MM in 2024.
- Folorunso Fatukasi, DT (Texans). One year, $5.2MM. The recent Jacksonville cut will receive $4.6MM guaranteed at signing on his Houston pact, Wilson tweets. The Texans tacked two void years onto the veteran nose tackle’s deal.
- Trent Brown, T (Bengals). One year, $4.75MM. The veteran tackle will receive $2MM guaranteed, with OverTheCap indicating $1MM will be available in per-game roster bonuses with another $250K in play via a workout bonus. A bonus-laden structure is not new for Brown, who had weight clauses in his most recent two Patriots contracts.
- Solomon Thomas, DL (Jets). One year, $3MM. The Jets are guaranteeing the former No. 3 overall pick $2.5MM, Cimini adds.
- Mike Edwards, S (Bills). One year, $2.8MM. The former Tampa Bay and Kansas City safety can earn up to $4MM on his Buffalo deal, ProFootballNetwork.com’s Adam Caplan tweets. He is on the Bills’ cap at $2.8MM.
- Cody Barton, LB (Broncos). One year, $2.46MM. The Broncos will land the veteran linebacker for more than $1MM cheaper than the Commanders did in 2023. Denver is guaranteeing $2.33MM of the deal, per the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson.
- Desmond King, CB (Texans). One year, $1.8MM. Veteran slot cornerback/return man’s contract can max out at $2.2MM, Wilson tweets.
