Burrow’s Next Step Is Developing Next Wave of Bengals Talents
Credit: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports
Joe Burrow is entering his fifth year in the NFL, and it’s time for him to take the next step toward greatness. Burrow has led the Cincinnati Bengals to a 29-22-1 record in his starts and has started his progression toward being one of the best quarterbacks in the league. While Burrow has already set the bar extremely high, the next step needs to focus on helping develop the talent around him.
The Bengals had five years of Burrow on a rookie deal at a much cheaper rate than his value reflected. With that extra money that the team didn’t have to spend on Burrow, they could splurge on more talent to surround him with and better players to shore up the defense.
But now Burrow is now entering his five-year deal that will pay out a guaranteed $219 million, and with so much going to their franchise quarterback, the team has to be a little more careful with the money they hand out to players, and much more reliant on the draft.
At some point in the near future, Ja’Marr Chase is expected to be made one of the highest-paid wide receivers. Tyler Boyd was a big part of the Bengals’ offense since 2016, but he moved on to the Tennessee Titans this offseason. Losing Boyd could end up being a crucial loss for the offense. Tee Higgins has signed a one-year deal to stay with Cincinnati for this upcoming season. Still, it’s hard to imagine a long-term deal will be reached between the two sides, unless Higgins willing to take a major haircut from his market value. Not having Higgins and Boyd in the long term is a key loss, but this is where Burrow needs to overcome that next hurdle.
New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers will retire as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. The reason why? No matter what, he was able to elevate the talent around him.
Year after year, Rodgers begged for more wide receiver talent, and year after year, when the team had a chance to take a first-round wide receiver, the Green Bay Packers refused to do it. Rodgers had talented wide receivers like Devante Adams, Randall Cobb, and Jordy Nelson, but the role players are where Rodgers really elevated the talent around him.
Geronimo Allison’s best year in Green Bay was his last season at Lambeau Field, when he caught 34 passes for 287 yards and two touchdowns. He played for the Detroit Lions two years later but failed to catch a pass for them. Marquez Valdes-Scantling was selected in the 5th round of the 2018 Draft and became a perfect example of someone that Rodgers helped raise his play. His best season in Green Bay was in 2020, where he caught 33 passes for 690 yards and six touchdowns.
Shifting back to Burrow, it would be nice to get a bunch of first-round wide receivers or for the team to go out in free agency to sign another big-name wide receiver in the next few years. That’s probably no longer happening. Instead, Burrow will be given fourth and fifth-round wideouts, and he will need to try to elevate their game, as Rodgers consistently did with his supporting cast.
The Bengals selected Jermaine Burton with the 80th overall pick, and it will be Burrow’s job to help him adjust and thrive in the NFL. Burton showed flashes of being a standout wide receiver with the Alabama Crimson Tide, and how much success the Bengals have in the next 5-10 years could hinge on his development.
So far, Burton has enjoyed getting to know and working with Burrow. “He’s the guy so whatever he feels on a lot of details and splits and adjustments on certain coverages and a lot of stuff like that,” Burton said. “As long as you can just hone in and pay attention to the little details, I think you’ll have a successful time with Joe Burrow.”
Andrei Iosivas was selected in the sixth round in the 2023 draft out of Princeton, and last season, he got his feet wet by catching 15 passes for 116 yards. Charlie Jones was a standout in college but caught only seven passes in 2023 for Cincinnati. There has been a lot of buzz about both Iosivas and Jones heading into this season, and it’s Burrow’s job to get the most out of their talent. The Bengals have Super Bowl dreams, and Burrow can lead them to the ultimate prize if he can help develop the talent around him.
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