Bengals fans shouldn’t read too much into Joe Burrow clips
Cincinnati Bengals fans should be excited about Joe Burrow, but keep it in check until the real games begin.
We’ve all been down this road before. Every time a top pick — especially a quarterback — is seen doing anything remotely of note in training camp, the takes start rolling in. In this case, some will talk about how accurate Joe Burrow looks here, hitting receivers against air. Others will take issue with the lack of velocity on the ball, despite it clearly being a warmup situation.
In reality, none of it matters. Burrow is largely going to be working in non-contact drills for the receivers and cornerbacks, with no blitzing of any consequence. It’s a scrimmage in shorts for this most part this summer, as the preseason has been cancelled due to the coronavirus.
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How ridiculous can the takes get? They can get hotter than the sun.
Consider 2018. It was the summer of Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs taking the next step with the second-year quarterback beginning his reign as starter. The main talking point wasn’t about whether the Chiefs could win or if Mahomes was going to be great.
No, it was the interception count in training camp. It’s easy to forget now — and never should have been remembered in the first place — but Mahomes was a constant subject of conversation over whether he could tone down his penchant for throwing the ball into tight spots.
By season’s end, Mahomes was the best player in the NFL, winning MVP honors by throwing for 5,097 yards and 50 touchdowns.
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Burrow may turn out to be the next great NFL quarterback. He might end up being average, one he could been of the biggest busts in history. All is true for the LSU Tiger coming off a season which saw him win the national championship while throwing for 60 touchdowns.
What’s also true is none of the film we’ve seen of him throwing in the Queen City means a damn thing. None of it tells us how he’ll play when the Bengals line up Week 1, trying to prove they can compete in what should be a very tough AFC North.
It’s tough to not overanalyze everything when it comes to a highly-touted prospect such as Burrow, but smart money, and history, says to wait with patient eyes.
