Joe Burrow is paid, handsomely, to be the quarterback of the Cincinnati Bengals, and he does that job very well. But, he isn't paid to make roster decisions regarding the team, and that fact isn't lost on him. When asked if he thought that the Bengals should trade for help prior to the upcoming deadline following their underwhelming 3-5 start to the 2024 NFL season, Burrow kept it simple and deflected the question.
"That's not my job," Burrow said.
Joe Burrow was asked what he thinks when he sees other teams making moves at the trade deadline.
— Caleb Noe (@CalebNoeTV) October 30, 2024
His response:
“That’s not my job.”
As a follow-up, he was asked if he’d like to see the Bengals make moves.
He repeated:
“That’s not my job.” pic.twitter.com/pOQmh9EapS
Making roster decisions for Cincinnati isn't part of Burrow's job description
While it's true that roster-building isn't Burrow's job, he also has probably the most powerful voice in the entire organization, and what he says carries weight, so he could potentially have the ability to impact the front office's decision-making with his words. Perhaps that was his intent when he stressed the importance of establishing a better ground game following Cincinnati's Week 8 loss to Philadelphia.
"After the first game, we ran it well for a couple weeks in a row there. The last couple of weeks haven't been good enough," Burrow said. "When you play good rushers like we have the last several weeks, you've got to keep them off balance and be able to run the ball.
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"If you don't, then they aren't going to be quite as worried about it and then their edge guys are going to start getting push and play action isn't going to be as good. So, you've got to drop back and make plays, and that's what those kind of teams want. So, it's tough when you can't."
It wasn't a direct request, but it sure seems like Burrow is sending a message to the powers that be regarding Cincinnati's backfield production, or lack thereof. Unfortunately, that request will probably fall on deaf ears, as the Bengals aren't expected to make any moves prior to the trade deadline, as has become customary for the organization.
In addition to a running back, the Bengals could also used some added depth at edge rusher and in the secondary, but again, don't hold your breath waiting for this front office to make a move. It sure seems like it will be yet another quiet trade deadline in Cincinnati. Perhaps that's why Burrow prefers to stay out of business-side conversations, because he simply expects inactivity.