Reports out of Bengals training camp have consistently said that quarterback Joe Burrow doesn’t look as good as he did during his rookie year, when a promising season was cut short by a serious knee injury. That has led to concerns that his knee might not be fully healed.
But Burrow says his struggles are not about his knee, but about getting his mind right.
“I would say right now it’s a mental thing,” Burrow said. “I’m just getting back used to playing football again against top-level competition. Hopefully a couple more reps, a couple more days, we’ll get it back to my old self.”
Burrow hinted that he gets a little concerned when people are getting too close in the pocket, something other quarterbacks have mentioned having to overcome when returning from knee injuries.
“It’s just getting more comfortable in the pocket,” Burrow said. “Today we’re going to have a bunch of people around me in 7-on-7 and individual drills just to get that feeling back. That’s the last step for me, just get my pocket presence back and understanding when I’m pressured and when I’m not. Just getting that whole feeling back that I’ve been really good at for a long time.”
Although the news out of training camp has not been positive, Burrow sounds optimistic that he’ll be ready both physically and mentally when the season starts in just over a month.