Tag: Jermaine Burton

Bengals coach comments on Jermaine Burton’s playing time

The latest on Bengals rookie Jermaine Burton.

Cincinnati Bengals rookie receiver Jermaine Burton has been one of the most discussed things by fans around the team this season.

Given the 0-3 start, that’s saying something.

Burton had the strange usage during the preseason due to some reported red flags, but then worked his way onto the field in Week 2 and had a huge 47-yard play.

The conversation around Burton then took a dramatic shift.

Despite the positive upswing, Burton played just three snaps last Monday in the loss to Washington, spurring on more questions about his usage.

“It’s hard to predict into the future,” Bengals offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher said, according to WLWT’s Charlie Clifford. “I see Jermaine as a growing, young player who has a role for us right now. He has that ability to grow that role tremendously during his time here.”

Pitcher continued: “How the pieces fit around him will play into how fast that growth occurs. How he continues to approach the week-to-week will impact how fast that growth occurs. Everything that we have seen and sensed from him over the past month-plus is trending absolutely in the right direction.”

The read on the situation is simple: It’s going to come down to Burton’s continued upswing and who is actually available to play.

Against the Commanders, the Bengals got Tee Higgins back to run with Ja’Marr Chase. And they aren’t exactly going to take Andrei Iosivas off the field amid his breakout, considering he’s caught three of Joe Burrow’s five touchdown passes so far.

It’s safe to presume, especially with Trenton Irwin going inactive over Burton recently, that the hyped rookie will see serious playing time if one of the guys in front of him can’t go, at least.

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The conversation around Bengals rookie Jermaine Burton has shifted dramatically

So much for that redshirt year…Bengals rookie Jermaine Burton is turning it around fast.

Just a few week ago, the outlook for Cincinnati Bengals rookie receiver Jermaine Burton seemed terrible.

Following strange preseason usage that included fourth-string reps and returning kicks on special teams, a report said Burton faced a redshirt year, aligning with some of the pre-draft concerns that cratered his otherwise immensely talented draft stock.

But Burton broke onto the field in a massive way in Week 2 against Kansas City, linking up with Joe Burrow on a 47-yard bomb.

Burton wasn’t on the field simply because Tee Higgins was hurt and other depth has been unreliable. And he wasn’t on the field because Ja’Marr Chase said what everyone else has been thinking about Burton.

No, Burton has been on the field — and could see even more time — because he’s changing the narrative through his actions.

That much is clear based on what Burrow told reporters on Thursday.

“He’s gotten exponentially better over the last three weeks, I would say,” Burrow said. “You saw him make a big play on Sunday for us. He’s going to continue to carve out his role and continues to have good practices. The more he does that and the more he learns, the more you are going to see him.”

Getting on the right page with Burrow is objective No. 1 for any weapon on the roster. But it’s clear, through Burton’s own words, that better attention to detail and switching up physical habits played a role too, courtesy of CLNS Media’s Mike Petraglia:

https://twitter.com/Trags/status/1836854679449293157

If Burton keeps at this trajectory and the plays keep coming on limited snaps, he’s going to be hard to keep off the field even with Chase, Tee Higgins and Andrei Iosivas as the projected top three.

And even if Burton doesn’t see much playing time the rest of the year through sheer good injury luck for the team, there’s 2025 to think about when Higgins presumably departs, leaving that third spot in the base offense open.

The sudden turnaround for Burton is a quick surprise early this year, and one the Bengals certainly welcome with open arms after taking a chance on him in the third round.

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Jermaine Burton proved he belongs on field with explosive play vs. Chiefs

Bengals WR Jermaine Burton made his case for more playing time.

So much for Cincinnati Bengals rookie Jermaine Burton not having an impact as a rookie.

Burton, facing scrutiny over reports that he had a rough summer, broke onto the field during Sunday’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs and immediately put up a huge highlight.

The play was a simple deep bomb from Joe Burrow that Burton easily reeled in after beating the defense deep, good for 47 yards.

And even though he didn’t have a major bit of work on the official snap counts, Burton’s usage sure was unexpected after he worked with the fourth team and returned kicks during the preseason — while a report said he might face a redshirt year over playbook issues.

The highlight is nice, of course:

But this goes far beyond a highlight. Tee Higgins is out and Trenton Irwin was struggling with his heavy dose of snaps. Even Andrei Iosvias, for as impressive as his two touchdowns were, had a key drop.

If nothing else, Sunday was proof that Burton is going to be hard to keep off the field. Limited route tree and/or playbook mastery or not, his ability to stretch the field clearly has a big value.

So much so, it’s going to be hard for the team to justify keeping him off the field at a decent snap count even when Higgins comes back.

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Zac Taylor comments on if hyped rookie Jermaine Burton will play vs. Chiefs

Will Zac Taylor and the Bengals play rookie Jermaine Burton against the Chiefs?

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Jermaine Burton has been one of the hottest points of speculation around the team going into the Week 2 encounter with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Those Bengals could definitely use some help around Joe Burrow after the offensive struggles in the opener, and Burton would appear to have what it takes.

This week, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor threw out some major coachspeak while talking about the subject.

“I think Jermaine has made progress and done things he needs to do to continue to grow, like any rookie,” Taylor said. “It’s not easy to walk in here and immediately be able to play to your full potential. And so I think he’s going through a process just like all of our other rookies we’ve drafted have gone through.”

It sounded a little more positive on Burton than in the past, but who knows?

Burton reportedly had some summer red flags that came up, which would explain his running with the fourth string or worse to start the preseason and serving as a returner on special teams.

But one thing onlookers can’t deny is his stunning playmaking ability. And given that one expert has called Taylor’s scheme a failure without two elite outside receivers, it’s a pretty big deal that Tee Higgins will miss the game against the Chiefs with his latest hamstring injury.

Whether Burton has done enough to actually see the field, given the dramatic circumstances, remains to be seen.

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Ja’Marr Chase says what everyone is thinking about Bengals rookie Jermaine Burton

Ja’Marr Chase with some wise words about Bengals rookie Jermaine Burton.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase hit the proverbial nail on the head late this week about rookie Jermaine Burton.

Effectively, Chase said now is a great time for Burton to hit the field — and added that the rookie is finally slotting into a proper role within the offense.

“I feel like Jermaine has made a big, tremendous jump…Just knowing his play, knowing where he needs to be, knowing what he’s used for…just really playbook-wise,” Chase said during an interview with WLWT’s Olivia Ray.  “And, you know, finally, getting able to get a chance, you know, I’m saying there’s no bigger, no bigger chance than right now.”

Burton, after dropping in the draft, had some very strange usage in the preseason, initially running with the fourth-team wideouts and then returning kicks on special teams for the first time in his life.

Then, a report broke that said Burton might face a redshirt season after struggles that meshed with some of the red flags that caused him to drop on draft day.

But the conversation has been much more positive around Burton since training camp ended. Just in time, too, as Tee Higgins is about to miss his second straight game with a new hamstring injury and Joe Burrow’s offense looked downright awful in that Week 1 upset at the hands of the New England Patriots.

Based on what Burton has shown on the field, there’s zero doubt he could make plays opposite Ja’Marr Chase and get the separation needed to let the offense run smoothly.

Perhaps that’s something we see the team do in Kansas City, given the circumstances.

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Bengals learning quickly the pre-draft flags on rookie Jermaine Burton were legit

Burton fell in the draft due to concerns about his work ethic, and the knocks are showing already in Cincinnati

Jermaine Burton showed a lot of dynamic talent as a wide receiver at both Georgia and Alabama, enough that he was featured on many a top-50 overall prospects list for the 2024 NFL Draft. Yet Burton fell into the middle of the third round in part due to some pre-draft questions about his professionalism and work ethic.

The Cincinnati Bengals are learning the hard way that those pre-draft knocks sure seem legit. A report from Paul Dehner of The Athletic indicates that Burton has been a major disappointment thus far.

“Cincinnati did run into issues getting Burton on board and up to professional standards quickly,” Dehner writes. And then it gets worse for Burton, who many expected to play extensively as a rookie in Cincinnati.

“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.”

Additionally, there is the perception that Burton “has not been in the vicinity of where he needs to be as a professional.”

He’s got time to recover, but it sure seems like a badly missed opportunity by Burton.

Bengals’ Jermaine Burton faces redshirt year after issues, per report

A new report shows that red flags on Jermaine Burton came true this summer.

Not all that long ago, we asked what’s going on with Jermaine Burton?

The most-hyped rookie of the Cincinnati Bengals draft class worked with the fourth team during some preseason action and eventually served as a kick return on special teams for the first time in his pro career.

Due to those details and even some comments from Burton himself, it seemed clear that some of the red flags that had caused him to drop to the third round despite arguable first-round talent came true.

And now we know more.

Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic recently wrote that some of those red flags indeed popped up this summer, writing that “Cincinnati did run into issues getting Burton on board and up to professional standards quickly.”

Dehner added that the sentiment around the Bengals is that Burton has “has not been in the vicinity of where he needs to be as a professional” and expanded further:

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.

It’s a bombshell of a report and given what outsiders have been able to see so far, not all that shocking.

Also not shocking is that Burton’s struggles are emphasized more when compared to the approach of other younger players at his position, such as Andrei Iosivas and Charlie Jones.

Zac Taylor’s cultural overhaul and imprint of his own desired program on the locker room were critical to the franchise’s turnaround. Clearly, the team knew the risks with Burton and seemed to believe that he had what it took to eventually overcome those pre-draft flags.

But for Burton, that’s a task he’ll have to do over the course of his rookie year, winning over the team and Joe Burrow himself while other wideouts rep in the offense.

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Jermaine Burton questions pop up again after Bengals’ preseason finale

The question has popped up again — What’s going on with Bengals rookie Jermaine Burton?

A week ago, a big question followed the Cincinnati Bengals out of their second preseason game — What’s going on with Jermaine Burton?

The hyped rookie was dominant in his NFL debut, albeit playing with fourth-stringers. Then, in his second game, his biggest contribution was suddenly playing as a returner on special teams for the first time in his career.

Fast forward to the third preseason game, there was Burton again with the end-of-depth-chart players putting up big numbers, catching four passes for 56 yards and a touchdown.

After the game? Burton hit the “Bengals Booth Podcast” with Dan Hoard and offered some really telling comments.

“I could’ve been better in how I’ve been handling my business in my preseason,” Burton said. “I could lock in more on my details and the things that I did wrong, but it’s all about how you handle it. It’s all about what it means to you and I feel like I need to do a better job of showing how much this means to me.”

We’ll probably never get full details on what exactly what has been transpiring behind the scenes with the Bengals and Burton.

And while it’s easy to point at supposed character concerns that pushed him down the draft board, Burton’s “could lock in more” seems to do some heavy lifting in the above quote. Whether that’s attention off the field or having yet to earn Joe Burrow’s trust with timing and routes, who knows?

What we do know? Burton’s been incredibly open and self-reflective, if not even critical in interviews this preseason. And that would seem to be the first step.

For now, Burton probably doesn’t see the field much as a rookie, with that third spot at wideout going to Andrei Iosivas, Trent Irwin and some Mike Gesicki for good measure. But Burton sounds ready to keep scratching and clawing his way up, which could mean a big rookie year should injuries arise, or one heck of a possible sophomore 2025.

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WATCH: Former Alabama WR Jermaine Burton reels in 21-yard TD pass in Cincinnati Bengals preseason game

On Thursday night, former Alabama wide receiver Jermaine Burton reeled in a 21-yard pass for a touchdown reception.

Former Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Jermaine Burton has had quite an impact for the Cincinnati Bengals during the preseason. On Thursday, during the Bengals final preseason game, Burton reeled in a 21-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Logan Woodside.

The California native recorded four receptions for 56 yards and one touchdown. Burton has performed as well as any former Alabama player during the NFL Preseason. He has eight total receptions for 157 yards and two touchdowns.

There is a good chance that Burton sees the field during his rookie season in the Queen City. He was drafted by the Bengals in the third round of the 2024 NFL draft.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow the latest regarding former Alabama players in the NFL.

What’s going on with Bengals WR Jermaine Burton?

The Bengals put rookie Jermaine Burton through some weird reps again in the second preseason game.

Cincinnati Bengals rookie Jermaine Burton has been one of the team’s most-hyped players this summer.

But the proverbial wheels sort of came off in the preseason opener — and the second preseason game wasn’t much better.

In his pro debut, Burton couldn’t get on the field until very late in the game. He put on a show once there, but it was pretty telling that he was so far down the depth chart.

And on Saturday in Chicago, he wasn’t heavily involved despite most of the team’s starters sitting out.

The lone exception? He served as a returner on special teams.

Coaches will say the expected stuff about Burton suddenly returning kicks for the first time in his life. Think, Chris Evans is out for the season, Charlie Jones is on the way back from an injury, etc.

And Burton will say the right stuff too, as noted in this video from Fox 19’s Joe Danneman:

Before the second preseason game, The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. hit on this point nicely about Burton apparently needing to earn his way up the depth chart for one reason or another.

“This is a massive red flag,” Dehner said. “The fact he only had five snaps…whether he made plays or not, we knew he could make plays like that…the issue with Burton was not what he’s going to look like when you’re throwing the ball up to him…The problem is developing enough trust to be out there with Joe Burrow early in the game. Amarius Mims did…Here’s Burrow afterwards talking about he’s got to get in his playbook.”

Burton does appear to be climbing the depth chart. But at this point, it seems clear that fans hopeful he can break into the big three or four rotation at wideout in the base offense might have to fall back. Barring something stunning over the next week or so, that role will likely go to more experienced guys in the system such as Andrei Iosvias and Trenton Irwin, if not Jones.

While humbling, Burton’s attacking everything the Bengals throw at him, at least. And as he and fans know, that 2025 outlook and beyond might not include Tee Higgins, so proving himself now could produce major rewards a year from now.

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