The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 prevented Joe Burrow from getting a real offseason before his rookie year. The Bengals quarterback was rehabbing from major knee surgery last offseason.

So, heading into his third season, Burrow finally is getting a “normal” NFL offseason.

“I feel great,” Burrow said Tuesday, via video from the team. “Obviously, this is my first offseason in the NFL, so I’ve been able to take advantage of that as far as my body and my throwing and my mind and all that. Obviously, I’ve been grinding, but it’s also been relaxing not having to worry about, ‘Am I going to be ready for the season?’ I can just focus on getting my body right, making sure I’m healthy and then relaxing.”

Burrow is practicing without a knee brace, which he played with last season after tearing the ACL and MCL in his left knee in Week 10 of his rookie season.

“Yeah, it’s fun,” Burrow said of shedding the brace. “I don’t really like wearing that thing, so it’s good to have that off.”

He said it’s “to be determined” whether he will play without the brace.

“I don’t anticipate wearing it but maybe get to game day and feel a little more comfortable having it on, so we’ll see,” Burrow said.

Burrow won the league’s comeback player of the year award over Dak Prescott last year, and he then led the Bengals to the Super Bowl.

Also probably helps having confidence in the new guys up front. Re-watched the AFC Champ Game on NFL last weekend. Holy cow, they never blocked anyone all game long. Can’t wait to see how well Joe plays with two seconds to let the play develop.

Burrow is tough as nails but you can only be 22 or 23 for so long. We saw what happened to Andrew Luck and don’t think it can’t happen again.

They solved their biggest issue and the division otherwise has gotten worse. Looks like the sky is the limit for this version of the Bengals.

The calls for mean reversion with Bengals completely ignore that Burrow has never had a real off-season AND just how 1-handed they had to play last year because of that o-line.

Very real chance this offense is massively, massively improved and it looks foolish that they weren’t considered the favorite.

Burrow is a great QB and in my opinion the best of all the young QBs. He turned around LSU football, he turned around the Bengals and is only going to get better.

I never really believed in the transformative power of one player until I watched Joe Burrow will this team to the Super Bowl last year. And the team has every reason to expect to be better this year.

Is he practicing in his silly gold necklaces though? Such a nerd.

This is going to be a great season to be a Bengals fan. Joey B finally has a full offseason and can study and practice with his teammates not to mention last season you could tell for the first six to eight games he he wasn’t very comfortable in that knee brace so he wasn’t his same self the last half of the season Once he started to get more comfortable is when he really started lighting things up. Not to mention this year he’s got a completely rebuilt offensive line and let’s not forget that last play of the Super Bowl if he had one more second he throws deep to chase who had Ramsey beat by a mile and the Bengals are your Super Bowl champions. Not saying they’re going to make it to the Super Bowl again but I’d say they’re one of the top five contenders and Joey B should be in the MVP race

This is good news for the NFL as a whole. What burrow did last year given his lack of O-line was nothing short of miraculous. If you like football, you just have to appreciate it.

Good for Burrow. Great kid.

The AFC is loaded. Bills continued to upgrade. Raiders pushing chips to the middle. Denver trying their millionth QB is 2.68 years – this time a proven champion. Joe Burrow . . . same weapons, improved OL, likely favorite in the division. Do the Bengals get back to SB? That’s a tall order. Will they be in the playoffs and contending? Oh yes.

That last part of Burrow winning Comeback Player OTY over Dak. I was shocked they didn’t give it to the Cowboys QB just because of their big brand name and an owner who’s got an ego that is as big as his stadium; who seems to run the NFL at times. But thank God there was honesty in the process this time

What a terrific quarterback – Go Joe Burrow, Go Bengals!!

I’d want something on that knee. Even if it is just a neoprene sleeve. Why risk it.

Please wear some sort of brace on both knees. They really can save your knees, tons of players wear them to prevent injury

You guys fail to realize the Bengals are not sneaking up on anybody this year. And history does not bode well for SB losers. Sorry Bengals and Browns, Ravens and Steelers are still the class of the division and you remain one-hit wonders.

I would recommend he keep some type of brace. Every QB should wear one on their plant leg.

As a Ravens fan it’s hard for me to say it, but you gotta love this guy.

I never really believed in the transformative power of one player until I watched Joe Burrow will this team to the Super Bowl last year. —-

How about the guy who actually won it.

Love this kid!! Looking forward to seeing the Bengals play this year! Go Bengals!!!

If you look at what the Bengals did in the playoffs – squeak by the Raiders. squeak by the Titans. Squeak by the Chiefs. Lose by a FG to the Rams. Now imagine what would’ve happened if they coulda slowed down the pass rushes of those 3 teams. Yeah coulda been scary for those opponents.

Hope he doesn’t keep getting pounded the way he did last year.

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