Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Jermaine Burton (81) reacts after scoring a touchdown during the second half of a game against the Indianapolis Colts at Pacor Stadium on August 22, 2024 in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. Credit: Katie Stratman – USA Today Sports
A week ago, the Cincinnati Bengals’ second preseason game raised a big question: What’s going on with Jermaine Burton?
The promising rookie dominated in his NFL debut despite playing with fourth-stringers, and his biggest contribution came in his second game as he suddenly played as a special teams returner for the first time in his career.
Fast forward to the third preseason game and Burton was back in action and had a big performance from the lower ranks, catching four passes for 56 yards and a touchdown.
After the game, Barton appeared on the Bengals Booth Podcast with Dan Hoard and made some very insightful comments.
“I could have done a better job in the way I did my job in the preseason,” Barton said. “I could have been more clear about the little things I did and the things I did wrong, but it’s all about how you handle it. It’s about what it means to me and I feel like I need to do a better job of showing how much this means to me.”
The full extent of what went on behind the scenes with the Bengals and Burton will likely never be known.
It’s easy to point to character issues that caused him to drop in the draft position, but Barton’s “we can get more” line seems to carry more weight in the quote above. Who knows if it’s the off-field attention or if he hasn’t yet earned Joe Burrow’s trust with his timing or routes.
What we know: Barton has been incredibly open and self-reflective, if not critical, in preseason interviews this season, and that seems like the first step.
For now, Barton won’t be on the field much as a rookie. The third wide receiver spot will be up to Andre Iosivas, Trent Irwin and Mike Gesicki. But Barton seems intent on continuing to work his way up. This could mean a big rookie year if injuries occur, or a great sophomore year in 2025.
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This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Questions about Jermaine Burton resurface after Bengals’ final preseason game