How Each Bengals Receiver Could Earn The WR3 Role
Credit: Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Cincinnati Bengals spent the last three seasons with nearly unprecedented continuity in their wide receiver room. With exception of injury, Joe Burrow’s top three targets on the depth chart were manned by the same three guys week in and week out. Now, with veteran Tyler Boyd in Tennessee, the team has a much discussed void. After Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, the race is wide open for one of the teams youngsters to steal the role.
Jermaine Burton, Andrei Iosivas, Trenton Irwin, and Charlie Jones all have a feasible path. While it’s likely that, from a production standpoint, the third receiver may vary from week to week, all four receivers have an opportunity to set themselves apart as Burrow’s third option and potential number two for the future.
Let’s look at how each of them can take over that role.
Jermaine Burton: Maximize the big play ability
Burton is, in theory, Tyler Boyd’s replacement on the depth chart. However, he is not the “Tyler Boyd replacement”, as they are different kinds of receivers. Boyd is the reliable, big-bodied slot receiver whose big play ability is limited, whereas big plays are Burton’s specialty.
Burton’s path to being the third receiver on the depth chart is by maximizing his this ability. With Chase commanding the majority of the attention while running routes deep in the secondary, it could potentially open Burton up for a fair share of deep balls from Joe Burrow. His home run ability was on full display in the preseason, and with Logan Woodside under center, no less.
Jermaine Burton
Big play threat.
20+ yard average depth of target last season at Alabama.
Replaces Tyler Boyd as Bengals’ WR3.
CIN and Tee Higgins failed to work out a long term deal.
Can provide flex value beginning Week 1.
SHOWING OUT in preseason.pic.twitter.com/4pkMqXFSHE
— Joe Orrico (@NoExpertFF) August 28, 2024
Burton was both the leading receiver at Alabama in 2023 and the leading receiver for the Bengals in the 2024 preseason. For the Bengals, he had 90 more receiving yards than any other receiver, accounted for two of the three touchdowns, and did so while averaging nearly 20 yards per catch. It all led to him having the highest PFF grade of any rookie in the NFL this season.
The highest-graded offensive rookie this preseason
Jermaine Burton – 86.1 🐅 pic.twitter.com/OjEebwTXWu
— PFF (@PFF) August 26, 2024
Andrei Iosivas: Work to be more than a short yardage receiver
Fun fact: Andrei Iosivas was third on the team with four touchdown catches in 2023. Funner fact: all of his touchdown catches were for a combined fifteen yards.
Iosivas had moments of being the productive receiver he was at Princeton, but they came in small glimpses. Thankfully he has something to build off of, as he had 36 receiving yards in two of his final three games. Iosivas has to prove he can be more than small yards in small moments. He, along with Chase Brown, have been training extensively with Drew Lieberman, and it appears to have aided his development.
Andrei Iosivas WR for Bengals worked his tail off this offseason to make a major jump year 2.
Joe Burrow in a post training camp session said “Andrei is going to have a big year, he is able to do it all.”
Iosivas is firmly in WR3 discussion.
— Elite Drafters (@Elite_Drafters) August 3, 2024
Given his background as a heptathlete, Iosivas has the athletic ability to be an all-around receiving threat at every level of the field like he was at Princeton. He averaged over 15 yards a catch and had 66 receptions, 943 yards, and seven touchdowns in his final season with the Tigers. It’s time to see that sort of threat in the pros.
Trenton Irwin: Continue to be Mr. Reliable
Last season, Trenton Irwin caught a touchdown against Houston that gave birth to the Joe Burrow archery GIF.
Joe Burrow was cooking on the first possession by throwing to:
Tanner Hudson: 5 catches for 28 yards
Trenton Irwin: 1 catch, 32 yards, TDpic.twitter.com/Xzl9BlLNLp
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) November 12, 2023
While Ja’Marr and Tee are there for the big and flashy plays, Irwin was more used in short yardage situations and occasionally came out of nowhere to make a critical play. Let’s see more of that. While his production isn’t exactly that of a WR3, the more Irwin can make the right play in the right moment the more Burrow will trust him and the staff will elevate him. He’s more than capable of producing, as he had an extremely respectable eight reception, 60 yard stat line against the Cardinals last season. Lets see if he can use the fact that teams don’t give him too much attention to his advantage and come up in a big moment when he’s called upon.
Charlie Jones: Adopt the “Secret Weapon” mentality
While Charlie Jones mainly made a name for himself as a kick returner in 2023, he has more than enough speed and receiving experience to become a Percy Harvin-like player. While Jones likely won’t rush the ball like Harvin did many times in his career, he does have Harvin’s game breaking speed and big play ability that will allow him to contribute equally as a receiver and as a special teamer like Harvin did.
CHARLIE JONES TAKES THE PUNT 81 YARDS FOR THE TOUCHDOWN pic.twitter.com/7zk1ckvdds
— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) September 17, 2023
Per NextGenStats, his top speed of 20.97 miles per hour on his punt return touchdown made him the sixth fastest ball carrier in the NFL in Week 2.
His top end speed can make him a home run threat and secret weapon that can make a huge play out of nowhere. It’s a big reason why, in 2022, he was second in the NCAA with 1,367 receiving yards, 431 of which were yards after the catch. If he can separate himself as a big play maker with gadget ability he could find himself climbing the depth chart.
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