Despite plans for rookie receiver Jermaine Burton to play an expanded role, the Cincinnati Bengals unexpectedly refused to feature him in Sunday’s match against Las Vegas.
The major reason why the rookie receiver was benched is still sketchy, though Head Coach Zac Taylor called the situation “a necessary step.”
“We just got to handle our business the right way, and so I can sit here and say it was a difficult decision to make him inactive, but it was absolutely the right decision with all the information we had,” Taylor said after the Bengals’ 41-24 victory.
“He’s a guy who’s going to have, I think, a really good career here, and we’re going to support him. And he wants to help us win and do things the right way.”
Jermaine Burton who is only 23-year-old was expected to have more playing time in the team mostly in place of Tee Higgins who is out of the squad due to an injury issue.
Burton has also made two catches for 88 yards across seven games in his first NFL season. Questions were going around concerning his maturity and character before the Cincinnati Bengals picked him in the third round of the draft. His colleagues in the team and coaches have commended his development and performance.
Quarterback Joe Burrow, in his indication, said that rookie receiver Jermaine Burton’s veteran teammates will discuss with him about the situation.
“We’ll have discussions, just like with any young player,” Burrow said. “You’re going to try to help him along any way that you can. As he gets older, he’ll understand things in a different way. He’s a young player right now.”