Joe Burrow wants to play in preseason against the Bengals wishes

Despite the Bengals’ apparent wishes, Joe Burrow wants to suit up for preseason games.

Last year’s 4-11-1 record for the Cincinnati Bengals is deceiving. Five of their losses were by five points or less, and they played the final six games without quarterback Joe Burrow after he suffered a torn ACL. Burrow has been fully cleared for training camp though, and there’s little if any concern he’ll be ready for Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings.

Earlier this week, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor and team president Mike Brown were of one mind when it came to declaring it unlikely Burrow would play in any preseason games. That approach is reasonable, but last year’s No. 1 overall pick does not seem to be totally on board.

As expected, Joe Burrow says he wants to play in the preseason

Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Burrow updated his health.

“I’m just about 100 percent,” “Feeling great, still getting stronger in my legs. Going to continue to lift throughout camp, keep getting stronger, so I just feel great going into Week One.”

As for not playing in the preseason?

“We’ll have that discussion with Zac and ownership,” Burrow said. “I’d like to go out there and feel the rush at least a couple times. Don’t have to play the full game, but I would like to get out there a little bit.”

From Taylor and Brown’s point of view, there isn’t likely to be much of a discussion with Burrow regarding playing in preseason games. Even a few snaps in a game that doesn’t count would expose him to unnecessary risk, and the Bengals will accept him having to knock off rust for a regular season game or two in exchange for avoiding that.

Week 1 will be just shy of 10 months since Burrow tore his ACL. That it’s all but certain he’ll play in the season opener is a testament to where he is in his recovery, and playing in meaningless preseason games can only be bad for that progress.