Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is not a happy camper right now after what was supposed to be a contention window seemed to slam shut this season.
The Bengals still have a tiny shot at the playoffs, but this season was lost before it began due to poor roster-building miscues. Most recently, despite a win, Burrow was seen in a heated sideline exchange with head coach Zac Taylor.
During a radio appearance this week, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer mused that the Bengals need to be careful not to let Burrow’s frustration build over the next couple of years.
“I think he’s really, really frustrated,” Breer said on “The Afternoon Drive Show” on 92.3 The Fan. “I think he’s done a lot to kinda change the face of the Bengals the last few years…Here they are and he did everything he did to come back off the wrist and it feels like there are some same old Bengals things happening.”
This was the capper from Breer: “I think if you’re the Bengals, you have to be really careful now.”
Breer’s solution? Get with Burrow as a partner and heed his advice on how to shape this thing moving forward. Because it’s worth wondering just how long he’ll wait around if the team goofs around and doesn’t evolve to help him win.
Which is all very fair. Bengals fans whispering about Carson Palmer right now are more than justified. The front office will need to make changes to the coaching staff this offseason and revamp how they approach contracts — especially now that Burrow has put very public pressure on them to find a way to keep Tee Higgins in addition to Ja’Marr Chase.
