Why Bengals coach Zac Taylor denied Joe Burrow's preseason finale request

Joe Burrow was a no-go in Cincinnati's 2024 preseason finale

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is entering his fifth year in the NFL, but he's yet to enter a single season under normal circumstances. In Burrow's rookie season, the COVID-19 pandemic limited training camps. In 2021, Burrow was coming off of an a major knee injury that ended his rookie season. In 2022, an emergency appendectomy sidelined Burrow for much of the preseason, and last year it was a calf strain that kept Burrow out for much of Bengals training camp.

This year, the issue heading into the summer remained the wrist injury that ended Burrow's 2023 season, but the 27-year-old quarterback made it through training camp unscathed and without limitations. For the Bengals, that in and of itself is a victory, and one that head coach Zac Taylor wasn't willing to risk ahead of Cincinnati's final preseason game of the year.

The Bengals dropped to 0-3 for the preseason in their 27-14 loss to the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday night, but that loss is nowhere near as troubling as the loss of Joe Burrow would've been had Zac Taylor not decided to keep his franchise QB out of action against Indy after a promising joint practice earlier in the week.

“I thought the Colts practice was one of his best of the year,” Taylor told reporters on Friday, according to Shanna McCarriston of CBS Sports. “Reminiscent of many of the games he played last year when he was healthy. The accuracy, the decision making and the ball not touching the ground. To finalize training camp, we still have work to do. We still have two weeks of practice, but I thought they kind of put the nail in the coffin in training camp. That was the right way to do it.”

This is the time of year where you routinely hear coaches talking about how live practice reps are just as valuable as preseason in-game reps, and Zac Taylor clearly subscribes to that line of thinking. Joe Burrow saw limited action in the preseason, completing 5-of-7 pass attempts for 51 yards and a touchdown in a quick appearance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Burrow still hasn't seen extended playing time in a real game scenario since suffering a season-ending wrist injury versus the Ravens last November.

Bengals bet on Joe Burrow needs to pay off in 2024

Only about a year ago, Joe Burrow and the Bengals agreed to a deal that made Cincinnati's quarterback the highest paid signal caller in the history of the NFL. It was a bet on not only the continued development and improved health of Joe Burrow, but also on what he is right now. Right now, in a very short sample size, the Bengals can say that every year Joe Burrow finishes a season on the active roster and not the IR, Cincinnati has made it to at least the AFC Championship Game. Yes, two seasons is all we're dealing with here, but it's not an accident that in the two seasons Burrow ended up on the IR, the Bengals didn't even make the Playoffs.

Joe Burrow certainly isn't the only Bengal of consequence as the 2024 season nears. The messy contract situations of Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are troublesome, but most expect that Chase won't end up missing significant time even as his hold-in continues. There are plenty of questions for the defense, but defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo typically has the answers. So in 2024, the Bengals simply need Joe Burrow to stay healthy, and if he does, everything else should fall into place.