Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Jermaine Burton continues to perplex fans.
Burton had a tumultuous rookie season, only to enjoy a major bounce-back this summer. But rather than have the momentum translate to the regular season, Burton has been a staple of the gameday inactive lists.
So what happened with Burton?
For one, Burton suffered an injury during the preseason finale, limping off after a return on special teams. Earlier in August, Burton had an injury that Zac Taylor and others needed to address.
Two…Mitchell Tinsley happened.
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Tinsley surged onto the final roster, then caught a touchdown pass during the Week 2 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. He’s a must-have on the active roster on gamedays, leaving Burton as the sixth and final man out on a depth chart that includes Tinsley, Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Andrei Iosvias and Charlie Jones.
Burton has attempted to make headway as a returner on special teams to give himself a better chance of being active. But those spots currently belong to Jones and running back Samaje Perine, who serve bigger roles across multiple spots than Burton provides.
Hence Burton being inactive on gamedays, at least for now. Bengals fans aren’t wrong for still being hyped about the third-round product and wondering what’s going on, but unlucky injuries and surging players elsewhere on the depth chart currently have Burton watching from the sidelines.
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