The Cincinnati Bengals did the inevitable on Tuesday and placed star quarterback Joe Burrow on injured reserve.
The 28-year-old signal-caller is set for surgery to repair his injured left big toe. Burrow suffered the injury during Cincinnati's 31-27 comeback win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was diagnosed with Grade 3 turf toe and is expected to be out for at least three months.
Moving Burrow to injured reserve opens a roster spot for Cincinnati to presumably add another quarterback after signing Sean Clifford and Mike White to its practice squad on Tuesday.
Jake Browning will replace Burrow as the team's starter. The 29-year-old had an up-and-down showing in relief of the two-time Pro Bowler. Browning finished the game 21-of-32 for 241 yards, with two touchdowns and three interceptions. He added another touchdown on a quarterback sneak. He did lead a dramatic late touchdown drive to secure the victory.
As Browning and Burrow were the only quarterbacks on the active roster, it remains to be seen who will become the backup. Presumably, a corresponding move will happen soon.
The Bengals are 2-0 and have a roster loaded with talent, but Burrow has always been the engine that drives the team. He's set to miss at least most of the season, which means things are looking bleak in Cincinnati.
More NFL on Sports Illustrated
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Joe Burrow Injury: Bengals Officially Place Star QB on Injured Reserve.