Week 1: Bengals @ Browns Game Thread

[HoosierCat]

Starting off with some good news: Burrow back at practice today.

https://www.threads.net/@bbaby41/post/Cwk_ltGx0Pk/?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

[AMPHAR]

Hopeful an extension is coming soon.

[HoosierCat]

You...me...everyone pretty much.

[ArmyBengal]

Puts the thought of him holding out or this being tied to his contract to bed.

[HoosierCat]

Ossai out 4-6 weeks, per Baby.

Quote

Also, Bengals defensive end Joseph Ossai is expected to be out four to six weeks with a sprained right ankle, a source told ESPN. Ossai suffered the injury in the preseason finale against the Washington Commanders. He was in a protective boot Wednesday.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/38292305/joe-burrow-practices-first-july-27-calf-injury
 

Ok, so why didn’t they PUP him and keep RJ3? 

[TJJackson]

Kinda doesnt make sense - pup would be 4 weeks min, right?  Ossai pups, we keep one more DE on the roster til then (the preseason star, no less) til Ossai is ready

 

so W T F ?

[HoosierCat]

Only thing I can think is that they didn’t have enough info on Ossai yet and will do something like PUP or IR/Return now, and that they have a wink-and-nod agreement with RJ3 to come back in that event. That he hasn’t gone anywhere else yet as far as I can tell supports that but we will see.

[ArmyBengal]

I agree with you there Hoosier. Maybe they didn’t think Ossai’s injury was that severe at the time and made the decision they had to make.

Just looked and nothing new on Johnson to this point. Hopefully they move quick to rectify and place Ossai on the PUP and get Johnson back.

[ArmyBengal]

Morrison made a good point as well in that maybe Johnson is considering a team that isn’t so stacked and he has a better path to more playing time. 

It will be interesting to see how it plays out.

[AMPHAR]

Was he eligible for PUP?  Once you are cleared medically and practice it used to be you could not be PUP'd.   Then I thought in order to use IR designation out of TC you had to cut them first then if they made it back put on IR or something.

 

[AMPHAR]

I'm just going to guess and say:  The lack of practice reps for Burrow was related to contract status and the contract IS DONE.    Again, just a guess no insider info.

 

[HoosierCat]

1 hour ago, AMPHAR said:

Was he eligible for PUP?  Once you are cleared medically and practice it used to be you could not be PUP'd.   Then I thought in order to use IR designation out of TC you had to cut them first then if they made it back put on IR or something.

 

I think you are right about PUP, at least that's how it used to be. As far as I know they don't have to cut a guy to put him on IR. Now, if a player gets hurt in camp, gets cut and clears waivers, he reverts to the team's IR list (because you aren't supposed to be able to be cut due to injury). That player might subsequently be released after reaching an injury settlement. That might be what you are thinking of.

[HoosierCat]

AJ Green will be "ruler of the jungle" for the home opener against Pitt.

https://www.bengals.com/news/a-j-green-ruler-of-the-jungle-ravens-week-2-2023-season-home-opener

[AMPHAR]

23 minutes ago, HoosierCat said:

I think you are right about PUP, at least that's how it used to be. As far as I know they don't have to cut a guy to put him on IR. Now, if a player gets hurt in camp, gets cut and clears waivers, he reverts to the team's IR list (because you aren't supposed to be able to be cut due to injury). That player might subsequently be released after reaching an injury settlement. That might be what you are thinking of.

That's what I'm thinking about.   Since Ossi got hurt in camp/preseason he'd have to clear waivers before they could put him on IR to return.   I guess. 

Another factor might be they may think he can beat the estimated healing time.

[HoosierCat]

They could have put Ossai straight on IR. They did that with two other guys as part of the final cuts. But yeah he may think he can come back faster.

[HoosierCat]

Taylor wouldn’t commit to Joe starting week 1 at today’s presser. Read into that what you will. I would normally ignore it as typical “everything is a state secret including what color socks I’m wearing on game day” head coach behavior, but there’s been enough question marks floating around lately (injury? contract?) that it’s…well, fukking aggravating, frankly.

[membengal]

He’s just being coy. Jesus, grow a pair. Burrow is clearly playing week one.

[Stripes]

Agreed. I have believed Burrow is in for week 1 pretty much since the day after his injury, and that belief has only strengthened since. He wouldn't be practicing in any capacity two weeks in advance if he didn't have every intention of taking the field on the 10th.

I think the contract is 100% irrelevant to that equation too.

[Stripes]

Also, I think we're going to spank the Browns. Their roster is vastly overrated, and the Bengals are better in every meaningful category short of the offensive line (and that gap has shrunk).

[TJJackson]

I know I missed a memo somewhere somehow, but.....why are there no games this weekend?

[Stripes]

I believe they just left the week open when they removed the fourth preseason game (which compensated for adding a 17th regular season game).

I’m very glad for it. Two weeks to prepare and get healthy for the opener should result in better week 1 products league wide.

[TJJackson]

especially for us, this year, with Burrow's issue

[ArmyBengal]

1 hour ago, Stripes said:

Agreed. I have believed Burrow is in for week 1 pretty much since the day after his injury, and that belief has only strengthened since. He wouldn't be practicing in any capacity two weeks in advance if he didn't have every intention of taking the field on the 10th.

I think the contract is 100% irrelevant to that equation too.

Couldn’t agree more with ALL of this.

[HoosierCat]

Some good chuckles here, especially in the fan comments at the end.

https://defector.com/why-your-team-sucks-2023-cincinnati-bengals

[AMPHAR]

Obvious key to the game.  OL line play.   Past 3 JB starts vs. the Browns - 12 sacks.    Garrett has had huge days against Brown and Williams.    I would hope some professional pride would kick in because they have not played great against the Browns and even worse up in Cleveland.

I'll take a 1 point win and be happy.