Off the radar to be the 2020 No. 1 overall pick at this time last year, Joe Burrow is now widely expected to be Cincinnati-bound when Roger Goodell announces this year’s first selection. Rumors of the LSU superstar being less than thrilled about that destination have circulated.
The reigning Heisman winner addressed a potential Bengals fit and stopped short of saying he would be happy to land with the Bengals.
“They have their process that they have to go through, so I’m just blessed to be in the position that I’m in. If they select me, they select me,” Burrow said, via the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Drew Davison. “I’m going to do everything in my power to be the best football player that I can be.”
When asked a follow-up question on whether he would be satisfied if the Bengals select him, Burrow did not respond in that fashion, Davison adds. This follows a comment Burrow made earlier this month that helped start the rumors that he may not be ecstatic about going to Cincinnati.
“You want to go No. 1. But you also want to go to a great organization that is committed to winning. Committed to winning Super Bowls,” Burrow said.
Burrow has been training for the draft with ex-Bengal backup Jordan Palmer, the younger brother of Carson Palmer. The latter has not made his feelings about the Bengals’ desire to win hidden. The Bengals have not won a playoff game since a 1990 wild-card win over the Oilers, and Carson Palmer’s frustration with the franchise prompted a trade demand in 2011. While the Bengals recovered quickly without Palmer, their Andy Dalton years produced five straight opening-round playoff losses. Last season, the Bengals started numerous veterans but still finished 2-14. Though, they did lose some key players to injury.
The Dolphins have been linked to Burrow, and while they have the draft capital to move up from No. 5 to No. 1, the Bengals are not believed to be interested in moving down (barring a Ricky Williams-type offer). They are zeroing in on making the Ohio native-turned-national champion their next quarterback.
He wants to go number one. Just not to the trash franchise that is the Cincinnati Bengals.
You know your trash franchise when there are questions if a kid who grew up in the same state your located in wants to play for you.
There are 10 franchises that would LOVE to be as “trash” as the Bengals. This is lazy writing piling on a weak narrative that he’ll be a punk like Eli and refuse to sign. He’s coming to Cincy and get paid. Bengals have had 2 starters since 2004. They have stability, good or bad, and pay their own handsomely. Palmer was the highest paid QB when he was extended. Dalton was extended to a fair contract as well
Well said, Shmoe.
The Bengals get a bad rap…they are not as bad as people make them out to be. Marvin took them to the playoffs 5 times and 2 division titles. Now shame on them for tanking in the playoffs and not winning a game, but they are not as bad as people think.I would rather be a Bengal than a Brown, Jet or Dolphin. Maybe even a Lion…
Jets, Dolphins, Bills, Browns, Jaguars, Raiders, Redskins, Bears, Lions, Buccaneers, Cardinals, all worse franchises
What’s so bad about the Cards?
6 winning seasons in 35 years. Drafted a QB in the first round one session after dreading a QB in the first round. Murray is intriguing but they have as bad a track record as anyone
They still employ Steve Keim.
Raiders are gonna be fire this year
You forgot the Chargers
Hmmmm I watched the Jaguars BEAT the Ben Gals this past season in Cincy – LOL
Agreed. The Bengals get a bad rap, but aren’t even nearly the complete raging dumpster fire that their cousins up north on Lake Erie are.
They just made some bad decisions of being too loyal for too long to guys that didn’t deserve that loyalty like Marvin Lewis, PacMan, and Vontaze.
Lewis actually took them to the playoffs 7 times and 5 times in a row from 2011 to 2015. There are plenty of teams that don’t have 5 playoff appearances in the last 10 years. The Bengals have come a long way since Lewis was hired, but we still get the same old stale jokes. Burrows has never said he didn’t want to be a Bengal. It’s idiots like Colin Cowherd that continue to put these fake rumors out there. People can comment all they want, but guess what? Burrows is going to be a Bengal period. Deal with it!
Do you know what team has the longest drought since their last playoff win? The Bengals, 1990 wild card vs. the Houston Oilers. Definition of trash franchise. Every single NFL team has a more recent playoff win than the Cincinnati Bengals. Absolutely pathetic.
You sound smug and condescending, as if the since the team you follow is successful therefore you’re somehow better. Steeler fan??
Joe… I don’t buy that the Brown family is committed to winning. Year after year Lewis proved he was not ready for prime time and they still hung onto him. The Bengals could get a boatload of picks for their #1 that would have a huge impact on a team that has hit rock bottom. Don’t wait for Burrow to make it known he doesn’t wanna go there.
No I’m a Packer fan. No ill will towards Bengal fans. Just calling em like I see em. The Brown family is notoriously cheap. It’s not hard to find examples. Check out the interview from 2018 with T.J. Houshmandzadeh for example.
Meh, I grew up in PA but would never want to play for the Eagles. LOL
Was the choice for the header picture intentional?
These are sophisticated negotiations, why would either party surrender leverage?
I wondered the same thing. Seems as though he bungled that play.
There are really no negotiations anymore with the rookie wage scale. All you can negotiate is offset language, which the Bengals will give in to Burrow without any discussion if they pick him #1.
Crazy Trade – 3 team trade Bengals/Dolphins/Lions
Dolphins get Burrows
Bengals get Tua
Lions get #5 pick
and a bunch of other picks move around mostly from the Dolphins.
“You want to go No. 1. But you also want to go to a great organization that is committed to winning. Committed to winning Super Bowls,” Burrow said.
Not for nothing, but this comes sounding really stupid. If you want to go #1, you are going to a bad team. There is no way around that.
He’s trying to be political and sound like winning is paramount. BS, it’s all about money and he knows that. Players have a short window to earn as much money as they can. Things being equal, sure they’d love championships. But a super bowl title doesn’t add another story to their mansion lol. Every team in the bottom ten is poorly run, save for maybe the Chargers. Every team wants to win but only a few are Committed with a capital C and they aren’t going to have a chance to draft Joe
The Bengals NEED new uniforms for the 21st century !!
I you started typing this comment ^^^ in 1999 your speed on the keyboard is even worse than mine.