They did it! They finally did it! The Cincinnati Bengals admitted that they lit a third-round draft pick on fire last year by waiving embattled wide receiver Jermaine Burton on Monday.
No need to bury the lede on this one. NFL Media's Tom Pelissero broke the glorious news, as Bengals fans can finally say, "good riddance!" to this menace of a player who wasn't active for a single game this season.
Burton was suspended for Week 14's season-destroying loss in Buffalo. The Bengals could've used a deep threat like him to further challenge the Bills and their top-ranked pass defense, but the mercurial 24-year-old came up short yet again.
Apparently, that was the final straw for Cincinnati. Good on Zac Taylor and the brain trust for pulling the trigger on this move. Better late than never I guess. Burton was a waste of roster space.
Given how stubborn this franchise tends to be in clinging to underachieving draft picks, it speaks volumes about Burton's ineptitude that he was given up on so soon.
Bengals dismissing Jermaine Burton speaks to larger problem in NFL Draft
Whether it's a lack of financial resources, a lack of sheer bodies in the personnel department, or a lack of due diligence, the Bengals have whiffed in the draft since 2022 at an alarming rate.
Is it the on the coaching staff for not developing him? Is it on the scouts for not understanding how big of a risk Burton was? Does it speak to a more holistic problem? Hmm...good answer here.
who's at fault for the entire jermaine burton disaster?
— John Sheeran (@John__Sheeran) December 8, 2025
yes.
Cincinnati actually selected two players in the 2024 draft in Round 3. Defensive tackle McKinnley Jackson has languished on the inactives list right alongside Burton for most of the 2025 campaign, too.
Thank goodness Jackson has started to play and flash a tad of rotational value in 46 snaps across the last four games. Otherwise, that 2024 class would look even rougher than it does now.
Back to Burton. He finished his brief time in Cincy with only four receptions on 14 targets. To be that disconnected from an elite quarterback like Joe Burrow highlights the lack of detail and competitive fire Burton brought with him to the NFL.
There's no question Burton has the talent to be a strong contributor to an NFL wide receiver room. Those aforementioned four receptions went for 107 yards. His explosiveness and upside are self-evident. Competition was stiff in Cincinnati with Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins atop the depth chart. What's frustrating is that Burton had that dynamic duo as ideal mentors, plus a phenomenal passer in Burrow to aid his progress.
Problem was, Burton never seemed into actually earning his opportunities to play. He was instead eclipsed by the likes of past fifth-round pick Andrei Iosivas and the undrafted Mitch Tinsley.
Rookie linebackers Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight Jr., along with injured first-round defensive end Shemar Stewart, are making the Bengals' class of 2025 look awful.
The 2024 group features the now-waived Burton, Jackson, underwhelming second-round defensive tackle Kris Jenkins Jr., injury-plagued tight end Erick All Jr., and multiple other nothing-burger picks. Starting right tackle Amarius Mims was the 18th overall pick. Even he looks like a fringe starter despite some signs of growth in his second season.
My big takeaway from Burton's welcome departure is as follows. It only refortifies the notion that the Bengals' team-building process is borderline nonsensical, and that seismic changes must take place in the front office to have any hope of capitalizing on Burrow's prime.