When the Cincinnati Bengals drafted Alabama wide receiver Jermaine Burton in the third round of 2024 NFL Draft, the organization hoped that they would be getting a steal who could contribute down the road. But in the eyes of Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin, that seemingly is unlikely to be the case.
Burton came into the 2024 NFL Draft with draft guru’s lauding his talent. Many even had him as a potential first-round talent who could be an instant difference maker.
Unfortunately, some off-field concerns at Alabama led to him slipping in the draft, as many believed that there were significant red flags involved with taking Burton.
Burton didn’t do much on or off the field to prove those doubters wrong. Despite seeing action in 14 games, Burton recorded just four receptions on the year.
Even more worrying than that, Burton was benched in the team’s season finale after accusations emerged that he had assaulted a woman he dated.
When you combine a lack of production with even further off-field controversy, Burton doesn’t have much of a case to have much of a future in the NFL.
Duke Tobin outlined just this, telling the Cincinnati Enquirer that he believes Burton has done “nothing” to show he deserves a roster spot come next season.
“He’s done nothing, and he’s going to have to start doing something quickly,” Tobin said. “We knew we were taking a risk. We felt comfortable that we could help him through some of the challenges he’s had in the past, and we’re going to continue to try to help him. But this is professional football, and you have to take accountability, and you have to be accountable to your teammates, your coaches, and the team that you’re playing for, and he has to figure that out. He’s got to figure that out fast.
“He’s a very talented player, and we knew that there were risks in taking him. We knew there were rewards in taking him. We know what both of those are. We’re hoping for the rewards. We’re giving him the resources he needs to get to those rewards, but at the end of the day, you can’t want it more for somebody than they want it for themselves. And we’re hoping that Jermaine figures that out.”
Maybe Burton will skate by and get another shot at the start of the 2025 season. But clearly, he is on thin ice when it comes to Duke Tobin.
About Reice Shipley
Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.