If you couple the way Jermaine Burton played in the regular season with the need for another wide receiver to step into the Cincinnati Bengals’ WR3 role, you’d think the wide receiver and the team were a match made in football heaven.
However, according to a recent report from Paul Dehner Jr., it’s very clear as to why Burton fell to the Bengals in the third round, stating, “He has not been in the vicinity of where he needs to be as a professional.”
Dehner continued that Burton has had trouble with the playbook, often running the wrong routes, and while the reports of the rookie sleeping through meetings hasn’t been verified, the overall sentiment about the lack of professionalism seems to be a constant.
“The Bengals won’t put him out there — or even make him active on gameday — until they feel comfortable he’s preparing in meetings, will be in the right spots and can be trusted by the quarterback,” Dehner wrote.
Chase and Higgins are options one and two for Burrow, and tight end Mike Gesicki, who was signed in free agency, has the potential to have a strong receiving year as well. The Bengals do need someone, though, who can be the team’s third option at wide receiver but can play on the inside or outside, allowing Chase to move all over the field, including in the slot.
Tyler Boyd was the team’s third wide receiver in 2023, but he had lost some explosiveness as he aged and needed to be in the slot to maximize his potential impact on the field. While he’s surely missed by Burrow, his absence could open the door for a younger receiver to get on the field and earn the quarterback’s trust.
At least for right now, those opportunities look like they’ll go mostly to Andrei Iosivas and Charlie Jones, who were both drafted in 2023, and Trenton Irwin, who has been reliable in big situations time and time again.
Even without Burton factored in, the Bengals have one of the best wide receiver rooms in the league. If he plays sparingly, even if it’s through the entirety of his rookie season, Burrow is surrounded by good hands, literally and figuratively. If Burton comes along and can be trusted, it’ll be the cherry on top.
If he doesn’t, the team may need to look elsewhere for Higgins’ replacement in 2025.
