CINCINNATI — Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow offered the biggest sign of his progress to date since his appendectomy two weeks ago.
He picked up a ball and started tossing it.
While the majority of the team was participating in special teams drills during practice Monday, Burrow conducted an impromptu light walkthrough with his top wide receivers and tight end Hayden Hurst.
The passes weren’t very hard and they weren’t many of them. But it was the first time he did any sort of throwing since the surgery, Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan said.
“He’s feeling better,” Callahan told ESPN. “So I just asked him if he wanted to do it and he said, ‘Yeah.'”
During the period toward the end of practice, Burrow mimicked a snap, looked at his wide receivers as he went through his progressions and then tossed the ball back to Bengals assistant equipment manager Tyler Runk.
Callahan said the emphasis was working on communication during no-huddle situations. After the group worked toward the end of the field that approaches the Ohio River, it scattered as the team finished with field goal drills.
After the practice, Bengals coach Zac Taylor reiterated that he didn’t have a timetable on Burrow’s return.
“I think what you see is what you get,” Taylor said. “He looks good to me. He’s starting to get better every single day. Again, I don’t want to put a timeline on when he gets out here and starts throwing and stuff, but it’s been encouraging.”
Cincinnati will have one more public practice before its preseason opener Friday against the Arizona Cardinals. What happened Monday offered some hope that Burrow will be throwing some meaningful passes before the end of training camp.
“He’s getting back to full strength sooner than later here, hopefully,” Callahan said.