There’s no hiding it, really. In November, when Tee Higgins was out and he was potentially a big part of the game plan, Burton reportedly no-showed a Saturday walkthrough and got publicly blasted by his teammates for it. He spent most of the season just attempting to make an impact on special teams.

The Bengals used a third-round pick on WR Jermaine Burton in last year’s draft for depth and an insurance policy with WRs Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase needing new deals.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1), quarterback Joe Burrow (9) and wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) take the field as captains for the coin toss before the first quarter of the NFL Week 18 game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh on Saturday,

Joe Burrow's public attempts to encourage the Cincinnati Bengals to keep both of their star wide receivers don't seem likely to pay off. Per ESPN's

The Cincinnati Bengals had a disappointing 2024 season. Cincinnati finished the regular season 9-8 and barely missed the playoffs. The Bengals finished the regular season strong on a five-game winning streak.