Bengals add Sean Clifford and Mike White to practice squad after Joe Burrow toe surgery

The Cincinnati Bengals have added quarterbacks Sean Clifford and Mike White to their practice squad after starter Joe Burrow underwent toe surgery that will sideline him for at least three months, the team and media reports said.

The move, first reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter, brings two experienced backups to a practice squad that already includes Brett Rypien as the franchise addresses depth at the position while Burrow recovers. Burrow sustained the injury in the second quarter of Sunday's win over the Jacksonville Jaguars and was later told he would need surgery, leaving him sidelined until mid-December at the earliest, according to Schefter. Images taken immediately after the injury were reviewed by foot specialist Dr. Robert Anderson, Schefter reported.

Clifford, 27, is a Cincinnati native who starred at St. Xavier High School and was a fifth-round pick of the Green Bay Packers in the 2023 draft out of Penn State. He spent two seasons with Green Bay and has appeared in two NFL games but has not attempted a pass in regular-season play. White, 30, was a fifth-round pick in 2018 out of Western Kentucky by the Dallas Cowboys and has more extensive NFL starting experience, including seven starts with the New York Jets in 2021 and 2022. White has thrown eight career touchdown passes and 12 interceptions and spent parts of last season with the Buffalo Bills.

Rypien, 29, remains on the practice squad. The journeyman backup is the nephew of former Super Bowl-winning quarterback Mark Rypien and has appeared in 10 career games for the Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings over six seasons.

Backup Jake Browning started Cincinnati's Week 2 victory over Jacksonville after Burrow left the game and delivered a dramatic finish despite three interceptions. Browning threw two touchdown passes and capped the game with a 1-yard touchdown run with 18 seconds remaining as the Bengals improved to 2-0.

It remained unclear which, if any, of the newly added quarterbacks will be elevated from the practice squad to the Bengals' 53-man roster. The additions provide short-term depth as the team navigates Burrow's recovery and evaluates options at quarterback in the coming weeks. The club's timeline projects Burrow's return no earlier than mid-December, depending on the progress of his rehabilitation and any further medical evaluations.