Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has a specialized approach to the rest of his training camp after undergoing an appendectomy while adding back weight to his frame as quickly as possible.
Buy Bengals TicketsAnd one of the biggest items on his calendar? A rematch with the Los Angeles Rams.
The Bengals and Rams hold joint practices next week in a pseudo-rematch of the Super Bowl. There’s some obvious weight there for both sides, though Burrow’s looking at it as a chance to get live game reps (without taking hits) that he won’t get as he skips preseason games while recovering.
“Those are basically game reps,” Burrow said, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic. “You’re not gonna be getting hit, but you’re going to be facing a different opponent in a practice situation that will be controlled. So you don’t have to worry about getting hurt, but it’s a game rep.”
While things might get testy between the two sides for obvious reasons despite the link between head coaches, the joint practices are actually a best-case scenario for Burrow.
Not only will Burrow get game reps against an unfamiliar team without needing to take hits, his new look offensive line’s new big three — La’el Collins, Alex Cappa and Ted Karras — are fully healthy and ready to go.
So while fans might latch on to the obvious implications of the matchup, the much bigger deal is Burrow getting a well-timed chance to work while his new offensive line faces its first big test.
