With the fifth selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals faced a decision.
With their choice of any offensive lineman available do they look to protect their young quarterback in Joe Burrow? A course of action that many, including this author, recommended.
Or do they pair him with a former teammate in wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase?
The Bengals took the second approach, and it came down to one word.
Trust.
Sure, there was a level of trust in their off-season acquisitions, particularly tackle Riley Reiff. But there was also another kind of trust. The kind forged on practice fields and in the SEC. The trust between a quarterback and a receiver.
Betting on that trust has put the Bengals into the playoffs, has likely propelled Chase to the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award, and might have changed how teams view similar decisions in the future.