Sunday was supposed to be the breakout showcase for Cincinnati Bengals rookie receiver Jermaine Burton.
Instead, a massive mistake on Saturday led to his being a healthy scratch on Sunday.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Burton missed Saturday’s walkthrough before the Week 9 game against the Las Vegas Raiders, leading to his being a healthy scratch.
Burton was a massive part of the gameplan going into Sunday with Tee Higgins out. He also got some very public support from Joe Burrow, Zac Taylor and others during the week.
That the Bengals felt the need to punish Burton like this speaks volumes to the thin ice he was already on and the lack of good reason for missing a walkthrough.
Players missing a Saturday walkthrough is nearly unheard of. It’s especially jarring in the case of Burton, who has flashed immense upside on the field, was in line for more playing time, and, with a few good showings, could have been the No. 2 across from Ja’Marr Chase in Burrow’s offense starting in 2025 and beyond.
Instead, those major red flags that popped up when the Bengals drafted Burton have come out in force.
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