When Will Joe Burrow Return? Latest Injury Update on When QB May Play for Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals reportedly could be on the verge of getting star quarterback Joe Burrow back on the field.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported on Monday that Burrow "is returning to practice this week" as he continues his recovery from turf toe surgery, and the Bengals will open his 21-day practice window "in hopes of having him in action sometime next month."

The Bengals made the move official, announcing that they "advanced [Burrow] for a limited return to practice so he can begin progressing on-field activities."

Jay Glazer of Fox Sports reported Burrow has his eyes on returning around Thanksgiving:

Burrow discussed the situation with reporters on Monday:

Burrow suffered the injury in Cincinnati's Week 2 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars and was expected to miss a minimum of three months after undergoing surgery. The Bengals have been on a downward spiral since losing him, dropping six of their last seven games to fall to 3-6 this season.

After losing Burrow, Cincinnati turned to backup quarterback Jake Browning to lead the ship. However, he threw six touchdowns and eight interceptions in his four appearances before the team opted to acquire veteran signal-caller Joe Flacco from the Cleveland Browns. The 40-year-old has performed admirably with 11 touchdowns and two interceptions in four games, but the Bengals have still struggled to get back to their winning ways.

Burrow is the second-highest-paid quarterback in the NFL, and he was expected to be an MVP candidate this season. His return would surely boost the morale in Cincinnati, but the team will need to start stringing some wins together if it wants to be in the playoff hunt by the time he's back.

The Bengals will return from their bye week on Sunday when they face the Pittsburgh Steelers (5-4) in an AFC North showdown.