Former NFL wide receiver Dez Bryant is a huge fan of Cincinnati Bengals rookie wideout Jermaine Burton.
Whether Bryant likes that Burton plays for the Bengals is a little different, though.
Like anyone who saw it — and especially Bengals fans — Bryant came away from Burton’s NFL debut very impressed. There, the rookie wideout didn’t get to play until late in the third quarter with the third team.
But Burton made the most of it.
Burton scored a touchdown after beating a cornerback deep, then had another huge gain down the field not long after that. Naturally, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor had to explain why Burton didn’t get playing time earlier.
After the game, Bryant sent out his take on the matter, which included commentary on Burton’s fit with the Bengals:
Jermaine Burton
Natural knack for the ball
Hand eye coordination top tier
I wish he was on a different team other than the Bengals
He can be an instant stand out in the right situation
— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) August 11, 2024
It’s not a terrible take if one reads it as Bryant suggesting Burton has No. 2 or even No. 1 wideout upside for an offense. Burton might’ve had a better chance of showing that with a different team that doesn’t already have Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins atop the depth chart. Then again, those teams probably wouldn’t have a Joe Burrow-level talent slinging him the football, either.
Still, it should mean something to Bengals fans that a former player of Bryant’s caliber likes Burton so much.
And there’s a chance nobody has to worry about this angle with Burton. If he keeps playing like this, he might just outsnap Andrei Iosivas for that third wideout spot. And in 2025, there might be an open spot for a No. 2 wideout across from Chase if Higgins ends up leaving.
