Comment from Joe Burrow shows how much the Cincinnati Bengals trust the young QB
By Zach Ragan
Former LSU football quarterback Joe Burrow has only played 10 career NFL games, yet he already has the keys to the Cincinnati Bengals franchise.
The Bengals are putting a lot of trust in Burrow.
Not only are they trusting him to be their quarterback for (hopefully) the next decade-plus, they’re also trusting the former Tigers standout when it comes to his draft advice.
It’s no secret that Burrow is a big reason why the Bengals selected former LSU wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
A recent comment from Burrow, however, suggests that the young quarterback was more than just a “big reason” that Cincinnati elected to draft Chase.
Joe Burrow has a lot of pull when it comes to draft choices
Burrow obviously vouched for Chase during the draft process.
And it’s easy to see why — Chase’s 2019 season with Burrow as his quarterback was among the best seasons ever for a college wide receiver (84 receptions for 1,780 yards and 20 touchdowns).
But Burrow did more than just vouch for Chase. He essentially guaranteed that the former LSU star wouldn’t be a bust in the NFL.
“Everybody’s been surprised by how smart he was and I told everyone coming in, ‘He’s not going to bust, he’s going to know exactly what to do, he’s going to be a pro,’ and that’s exactly what’s happened,” said Burrow this week (via Bengals.com)
The “He’s not going to bust” comment from Burrow is telling.
We’ve seen plenty of wide receivers over the years selected in the top half of the draft that end up being complete busts.
Justin Blackmon (No. 5 pick in 2012), Kevin White (No. 7 in 2015), and Corey Coleman (No. 15 in 2016) are just a few examples.
The Bengals could’ve easily selected an offensive lineman with their No. 5 pick. That would’ve been a “safe” move (especially considering the Bengals’ need for an offensive lineman).
Instead, they trusted Burrow and went with a splash pick.
The QB approach LSU should take in 2021. dark. Next
So far, it’s paying off, as Chase has impressed teammates during minicamps. I have a feeling that he’ll continue to impress once the 2021 season starts, too.