Another game, another nothing-burger impact from one of the Cincinnati Bengals' two third-round picks from the 2024 NFL Draft. That's what we're working with as a collective Who Dey Nation.
The days of drafting somewhat well seem far behind the Bengals' brass. Rumors of Duke Tobin's exit are making the rounds, and for good reason. This Cincinnati roster, beyond the triumvirate of Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins, is more or less broken.
Case in point: One of the would-be X-factors the Bengals were supposed to count on over the last season-plus can't even hit the field under highly favorable circumstances.
Bengals WR Jermaine Burton inactive despite Ja'Marr Chase's suspension
Ja'Marr Chase's one-game suspension for spitting on Jalen Ramsey was fully deserved. If only Jermaine Burton could be counted on to pick up the slack against the New England Patriots on Sunday in Chase's stead.
That won't be the case once again, as Burton's season-long inactive streak continues in spite of Chase's short-term ban. Read the Week 12 Bengals inactives list and weep, Who Dey Heads.
.@KetteringHealth Inactives for #NEvsCIN pic.twitter.com/ovGuwulZO7
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) November 23, 2025
Character concerns caused Burton's precipitous fall down draft boards. I believed he was a first-round talent. I also don't have access to, you know, in-person interviews like the Bengals presumably do.
All 31 other teams passed up Burton's explosive playmaking abilities through two rounds of the 2024 draft. Maybe Cincinnati thought there was leeway with an extra third-round selection.
Instead, Burton is a bust who's blown up in the Bengals' faces. We won't even get too in the weeds on the other third-round draftee, nose tackle McKinnley Jackson. The Texas A&M product has struggled to avoid the inactives list all season in his own right.
Lighting draft picks on fire is a devastating act for a franchise that's as stingy as any in the NFL to shell out big money for premium talent. Whether it's in free agency or paying their own, the Bengals wait until the 11th hour, or are reactive to the market, rather than getting a jump on such transactions to avoid self-ownage and heftier price tags down the road.
Among the many top picks in recent years who won't see a second contract in the Queen City, Burton is perhaps the most disappointing. We've barely seen what he can do on an NFL field. He's either just that bad as an NFL player, or he's that much of a knucklehead that he can't get out of his own way.
Why have Burton on the roster at all right now, though?
Mitchell Tinsley is pushing Andrei Iosivas for the WR3 role. Charlie Jones is a fine return man. Only pride as a result of draft status is preventing Tobin and the front office from waiving Burton.
Sunday's inactives list should be the final straw. Jermaine Burton should no longer be in a Bengals uniform. It's indefensible at this point.