Joe Burrow says Jermaine Burton ‘has matured’

“He’s been working hard, which is exciting to see.”

There were a lot of things that went wrong for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2024. The defense was a shadow of its former self. There were sporadic issues on special teams and missed opportunities early in the season on offense.

Rookie wide receiver Jermaine Burton’s struggle kind of got lost in the storm unless you were paying close attention. He struggled on the field and had several issues off the field.

When he fell to the Bengals in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft with well-known character concerns, the hope was veterans Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins could help mold the young wide receiver.

Unfortunately, at least in 2024, nothing seemed to take.

However, quarterback Joe Burrow recently heaped praise upon Burton, saying the young receiver entering his second year in the league has matured.

“I think he’s stepped up this year so far, has taken it very seriously, and has matured, it seems like,” Burrow told reporters during a recent OTA session. “That’s exciting to see. Based on the conversations we’ve had, he’s in a good spot mentally and physically.

“And he’s been working hard, which is exciting to see.”

The Bengals locked up Chase and Higgins for the next few years this offseason, but there’s still room for a WR3 to emerge. Andrei Iosivas has been the most productive receiver on the roster not named Higgins or Chase, but he doesn’t have a stranglehold on the WR3 spot.

Though the position is far from one of need on the Bengals’ roster, having another capable and talented wide receiver on the roster, especially on a rookie salary, can do nothing but help.

Hopefully, what Burrow has seen so far this summer continues on into the regular season and beyond.