Joe Burrow Rumors: Some in Bengals Fear NFL Playoffs Hopes on the Line amid QB Injury

The Cincinnati Bengals will "wait until just a few hours" before their Monday game against the Los Angeles Rams to decide on Joe Burrow's status, according to The Athletic's Dianna Russini.

"There are some in the building who want to see Burrow 100 percent fully recovered from his calf injury before he returns to action, but there are others who fear the team's playoff hopes are on the line and want Burrow in the game," Russini reported.

Burrow is listed as questionable with a calf injury and was limited in practice on Friday and Saturday after not working out at all Thursday.

The 2022 Pro Bowler aggravated the calf injury he suffered in the offseason during Cincinnati's 27-24 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2. That led to questions about his availability for the Bengals' next game, and head coach Zac Taylor was unable to provide any insight a week out.

Cincinnati shook off an 0-2 start in 2022 to win 12 games and reach the AFC title game, and it was 5-4 heading into its bye in 2021, a season that ended with a Super Bowl appearance.

Fans weren't yet reaching for the panic button after the Bengals dropped their first two games in 2023, but the team's performance had undoubtedly fallen short of expectations.

While his offensive line wasn't totally to blame, either, Burrow's injury also spoke to the longstanding concerns about his pass protection.

Few players are more valuable to their teams than Burrow, as evidenced by the five-year, $275 million extension he just received from the Bengals. Whether it's this year or any point in the future, the franchise's hopes of contending hinge on keeping the 26-year-old healthy and upright.