The Cincinnati Bengals’ playoff hopes took a hit with their Week 14 loss to the Buffalo Bills, and while the door to the postseason hasn’t slammed shut just yet, the team is clearly starting to make some tough decisions - and one of them involves moving on from wide receiver Jermaine Burton.
Burton, a third-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, was suspended for Week 14 and hadn’t appeared in a single game this season. Now, the Bengals are cutting ties altogether, placing the 24-year-old wideout on waivers and signaling the end of a short and unproductive stint in Cincinnati.
A Promising Prospect Who Never Found His Footing
Coming out of Alabama - after also spending time at Georgia - Burton was known for his big-play ability and vertical speed. His final college season saw him rack up 789 yards and eight touchdowns on just 39 receptions, flashing the kind of explosiveness that had scouts intrigued. Cincinnati took him 80th overall in the 2024 draft, hoping he could bring some juice to a receiver room that already featured elite talent.
But that promise never translated to the pro level. In 2024, Burton suited up for 14 games but saw limited action.
He caught just 4 of his 14 targets for 107 yards and didn’t find the end zone once. That lack of production, combined with a healthy scratch designation for most of 2025 and now a suspension, made it clear that things weren’t trending in the right direction.
The Final Straw
According to reports, Burton’s Week 14 suspension was the tipping point. The Bengals had already kept him inactive throughout the year, and the decision to suspend him - followed quickly by his release - suggests that the relationship had reached a breaking point. Whether it was issues behind the scenes, a lack of development, or simply a poor fit in the Bengals’ system, the writing was on the wall.
This isn’t just a roster move - it’s a signal that Cincinnati is recalibrating. With Tee Higgins now in concussion protocol, the team is dealing with uncertainty at the wide receiver position.
But even with that in mind, they felt it was time to move on from Burton. That says a lot about where things stood.
What’s Next for Burton?
At 24, Burton still has time to turn things around, but he’ll need a fresh start - and likely a new mindset - to do it. The talent that made him a Day 2 pick didn’t just vanish, but he’ll have to prove he can stay focused, contribute consistently, and earn his way back onto the field.
For the Bengals, this is about moving forward. They’re still clinging to playoff hopes, and every roster spot matters. Cutting bait with a player who wasn’t contributing - and had now become a distraction - clears the way for someone who might be able to help in the final stretch.
It’s a tough end to a short chapter, but in the NFL, production is king. And in Cincinnati, Burton simply didn’t produce.