Bengals: “Team Burrow” offers some sage advice as they get ready for draft

With the Super Bowl in the rearview mirror, the Cincinnati Bengals turn their eye to the NFL Draft. So too, does Joe Burrow.

If the week after the Super Bowl was going to be quiet on the Joe Burrow front, think again. With ties to the Cincinnati Bengals all around, the Heisman Trophy winner has a lot of voices to listen to, and not likely any looking to sabotage the organization as some have opined.

In the week leading up to Super Sunday, former Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer offered up an interview that had fans in the Queen City seeing red. In comments made to CBS Sports Radio, the former No. #1 pick took some shots at his one-time team.

“That’s why I wanted out: I never felt like the (Bengals’) organization was really trying to win a Super Bowl, and really chasing the Super Bowl.”

Enter former Cincinnati wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who is working with “Team Burrow.” Housh made it clear that there is no effort being made to influence Burrow’s thinking on the Bengals.

“We’ve talked about it. We’re not going to say anything negative to Joe about the Bengals. Why would we?”

Houshmandzadeh, who has been a good surrogate for Cincinnati, has been candid about his thoughts on the organization, and especially on the prospects of drafting Burrow.

"“Teams are bad because their players aren’t good enough. If they get that player that’s good enough, guess what happens? Your team isn’t so bad anymore. I’m sure that’s what they’re thinking. I’m sure that’s what Joe thinks. Negative? Not at all.”"

However, he may have also muddied the waters by suggesting some out of the box thoughts that despite their logic given the state of Bengals, won’t be popular in Cincinnati.

"“Do I want to draft him if I’m the Bengals? Yeah,” Houshmandzadeh said. “But if the Dolphins are going to offer me three first-rounders, or if some team is going to offer me two first-rounders this year and a first-rounder next year, I have to strongly consider it for the good of the team.”"

While it’s safe to say Cincinnati covets Burrow, so to do the Miami Dolphins and anyone who might want to move up to the first spot in the draft. While odds are high, astronomical frankly, that the Bengals select Joe Burrow, he’s one pick that addresses one position of need. Unfortunately, Cincinnati has several positions of need that a trade could address and address quickly.

With the 2020 NFL Draft still more than two months away, the Burrow to Cincinnati conversation could get increasingly interesting. Especially with comments that offer an alternative way of thinking, like those offered by Houshmandzadeh.