Following a suspension this past week in a loss to the Buffalo Bills, the Cincinnati Bengals have cut wide receiver Jermaine Burton, who spent the first two seasons with the team. According to the breaking news, the Bengals have decided to cut Burton as the troubled wideout hasn’t been able to get anything going in Cincinnati. Head Coach Zac Taylor didn’t explain the situation, but expressed hope that he could find a team elsewhere that can do “good things” for him. Originally selected in the 2024 NFL Draft, the former third-round pick has been a major disappointment for the Bengals’ pass offense.
Breaking: Bengals Cut Troubled Draft Pick Jermaine Burton; Will Anyone Be Interested?
Burton was supposed to be the third reliable receiver alongside Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. However, he hasn’t been able to stay out of trouble since a recent assault allegation last year came out. No charges were brought against him, but Burton has been in hot water since entering the league.
Other than his off-field issues, the wide receiver hasn’t been a dependable teammate and was benched in a team’s midseason win over the Raiders. Everything continued to pile for Burton, and the receiver will now be available to sign with a team if there is anyone interested. It’s hard to imagine where his career goes from here, but if he can stay out of trouble and focus on football, these three teams could take a chance on him.
Possible Next Teams
Kansas City Chiefs
If any team can get a receiver back in shape, it’s the Kansas City Chiefs. The team has dealt with multiple offseason issues between Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy in regards to legal trouble. The Chiefs will most likely overhaul their offense, which may mean letting a few talented playmakers hit the market in March. If anything, Kansas City may need to resort to adding offensive pieces on a low-stakes deal since it won’t have the cap space to acquire the best available free agent.
Burton could join this squad that already contains Worthy, Rice and Tyquan Thornton. It allows the organization to see if they can get something out of Burton in the best way possible in the Patrick Mahomes passing scheme.
Los Angeles Chargers
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Chargers will make the postseason barring a miracle that they lose the rest of their games. However, they’re going to be in the market for a receiver in free agency. After drafting KeAndre Lambert-Smith and Tre Harris, the Chargers won’t be going young again.
Keenan Allen is having an “out of nowhere” season, given his age, and could retire as soon as next year. This means they have to add some type of experience in their room, but might have to bite the opportunity to bring in Burton. With Jim Harbaugh’s approach, it seems like going young to give Ladd McConkey more separation in the aerial attack might be the route they’re taking.
Philadelphia Eagles
However, the Eagles will put themselves in the receiver market once again when the 2025 season concludes. Jalen Hurts has a hard time getting acclimated to a reliable fit with Jahan Dotson and John Metchie. With him already having his struggles with AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith throughout the year, the Eagles should continue to test new offensive weapons. Burton won’t do much in his first season, but he could get his reps in for a new team.
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