Joe Burrow will be out for three months after suffering an injury against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 2 of the 2025 NFL season, opening the door for the Cincinnati Bengals to consider moves at the quarterback position. In that context, rumors about Kirk Cousins as the natural candidate to replace him have started to grow.
Jake Browning is currently the only backup the Bengals have behind Burrow. If something were to happen to him, the franchise would be left very vulnerable at that spot. For that reason, Cousins is gaining traction as a potential addition to Cincinnati’s roster. His status as Michael Penix Jr.’s backup with the Atlanta Falcons has him seeking a way out.
Meanwhile, as happened in 2020 and 2023, Burrow will be sidelined with an injury. In this case, as initially feared on game day against the Jaguars, the 28-year-old quarterback will need surgery to repair torn ligaments in his toe.
When will Burrow undergo surgery?
According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, Burrow will have surgery on Friday, September 19, to repair the torn ligaments in his toe, starting a recovery period expected to last about 90 days before he can return to playing at the professional level.
There is one condition that could alter the surgery date, and it has to do with the swelling in Burrow’s foot. If the inflammation in the injured area does not go down, the procedure, scheduled at the Andrews Sports Medicine and Orthopedic Center, would be postponed a few days.
Bengals add two different quarterbacks behind Browning
Even though Cousins is emerging as a possible replacement, as insider Garrett Klaus from Heavy indicated, the Bengals have already taken action. Cincinnati added two new quarterbacks: Mike White (to the practice squad) and former Green Bay Packers QB Sean Clifford.