Joe Burrow's Contract Not Impacting Return to Practice, Bengals' Zac Taylor Says

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has not practiced since suffering a strained right calf during a July 27 training camp session.

Burrow and the Bengals also haven't agreed to a long-term contract extension as of yet while other signal-callers in his class (e.g. the Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Hurts and the Los Angeles Chargers' Justin Herbert) have landed lucrative new deals.

On Tuesday, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor assured reporters that Burrow's ongoing absence is not related to any contract dispute following a question from Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer.

As for whether Burrow will return to practice this week, Taylor was noncomittal:

Per ESPN's Ben Baby, Taylor "declined to give a more elaborate update" on Burrow's calf.

"I think he has a very healthy body," Taylor said with a smirk, per Baby. "And I'm encouraged by that."

The Bengals open their season on Sunday, Sept. 10 against the Cleveland Browns, so there isn't much time for Burrow to return to the practice field before the regular season begins. However, it's not as if Burrow needs a big ramp-up to get ready.

Simply put, he's one of the best quarterbacks in the game, and he's coming off a two-year stretch where he's completed 69.3 percent of his passes for 9,086 yards and 69 touchdowns.

Presumably, Burrow and the Bengals will get something done on a new contract, as his arrival has led to the most prosperous era of Cincinnati football in franchise history.

So for now, anyone nervous about Burrow may be best suited relaxing and refraining from pushing the panic button for the moment as the regular season nears.