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.
