For months we all pondered whether Joe Burrow’s relationship with Ja’Marr Chase would factor into the Bengals drafting Chase with the fifth overall draft pick.
Well, it seems we weren’t wrong.
Burrow may not have pushed down the door demanding the Bengals take Chase, but it definitely sounds like he let it be known that he wanted the Bengals to select LSU wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase.
Bengals head coach Zac Taylor recently admitted as much, too.
Appearing on the “Flying Coach” podcast with Peter Schrager and LA Rams head coach Sean McVay, Taylor detailed just how much influence Burrow had in the Bengals drafting Chase fifth overall:
“It was me asking the questions. ‘Hey, do you want to play with him?’ ‘Yeah I do.’ ‘What would your excitement level be, out of 10?’ ‘It would be a 10.’ ‘I don’t really need to add too many other questions here.’”
You can watch the full episode below:
Great stuff with @bengals HC Zac Taylor on Episode 4 of “Flying Coach” w/ @ringer …
On the conversation he had with Joe Burrow before the Draft.
“1-10, how much would you like to play with Ja’Marr Chase?
“10.”
“Great.” pic.twitter.com/xMwS5Wm1Sb
— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) June 9, 2021
As the full video shows, Taylor and the Bengals staff certainly weren’t complaining that some of the best film of Chase also happened to feature their star quarterback, and last years No. 1 overall draft pick, under center.
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A brief glimpse behind the scenes of how Taylor looked at the draft process just confirms what we already know – the Bengals were fine with taking a wide receiver over bolstering the offensive line in the first round.
And Burrow wanting Chase just made that decision a little easier.
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