Last offseason, D.J. Reader was asked what inspired him to want to sign with the Cincinnati Bengals during the 2020 offseason. Reader’s answer was pretty simple — Joe Burrow was a more appealing option at quarterback than Drew Lock, who was Denver’s starter at the time of Reader choosing Cincy.
Reader specifically said, “You gonna bet on Joe Burrow or Drew Lock?”
Even Broncos fans are probably picking Burrow in that department.
Bengals DT DJ Reader, recalling his free agency in 2020, cites a question from his agent when picking the Bengals: "You gonna bet on Joe Burrow or Drew Lock?"
— Ben Baby (@Ben_Baby) October 4, 2021
Well, this past weekend, we were able to see the answer play out right in front of our very eyes, as Lock came in at quarterback after Teddy Bridgewater went down with an injury.
The Bengals reigned victoriously with Burrow completing 15-of-22 passes for 157 yards and a touchdown pass while Lock completed just six of 12 passes for 88 yards and a touchdown. Now, it’s worth noting that Lock didn’t play the entire game as Burrow did but the Bengals signal-caller still outplayed the guy, just as Reader predicted he would when the time came.
D.J. Reader was right to choose Joe Burrow over Drew Lock
No one really expected Reader to be wrong with his assessment but it was cool to see it play out in front of our very eyes. Lock hasn’t been the quarterback Denver was hoping for but the Broncos’ offense did look more dangerous when he filled in for Bridgewater. Lock has a bigger arm and that definitely showed but he’s inaccurate and that also showed big time.
Fortunately, the Bengals have their quarterback of the future. Burrow is the right guy for this team and he’s shown the swagger the Bengals need moving forward. If they are able to punch their ticket to the playoffs, Burrow will be a big reason as to why that was able to happen.
Not only are Bengals fans lucky to have Burrow but they’re happy to have Reader as well. The former Houston Texans defensive lineman signed with the team last offseason and played in just five games but has been active in all 14 of them this year. He has 42 tackles, seven QB hits, and two sacks so far this season.
Teams are choosing to sign with Cincinnati because of Joe Burrow and that will help them out when it comes to signing talent in the future.