Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
Coming off knee surgery, Burrow could be a QB that owners will let slide by them. I wouldn’t blame anyone wanted more of a sure thing with Burrow but I do see there being excitement around the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Tee Higgins is a receiver that many have high hopes for, Tyler Boyd is a reliable chain mover, and Burrow is being reunited with his college teammate Ja’Marr Chase to ensure that no receiver gets doubled. Another one of Burrow’s teammates, Thaddeus Moss was brought in to rekindle that connection they had at LSU. Burrow has no shortage of people to throw to.
As for Bengals head coach Zac Taylor’s supposed offseason commitment to the run, lots of coaches preach that heading into a season but don’t back it up with their offseason moves. Tackle Riley Reiff and draft picks Jackson Carman and D’Ante Smith show that organization recognizes where they needed the upgrades on offense, but it’s hardly enough to shift the Bengals into a run-first game plan.
Cincinnati used free agency to bolster their defense more. Aside from Chase, Carman and Smith, the Bengals added more competition on the defensive side. So, no. I don’t think they did enough to convince me that they’re going to shy away from Burrow throwing 40-50 times a game.
We’re talking about a team that passed the ball 59 percent last year and in 10 games, Burrow did not throw less than 30 passes in a single game. He also scored multiple scores in half of his games as a rookie. So from a durability standpoint, Burrow dropping back this many times in each game is concerning, but the chance for big numbers is there.
