A former NFL participant as soon as advised me that within the league, if one thing makes an excessive amount of sense, it’s by no means going to occur.
It looks like that’s the precise state of affairs we’ve got on our arms with a possible Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow to the Minnesota Vikings blockbuster commerce.
Now hear. We’ve got to be truthful and state the details. Burrow hasn’t publicly or privately demanded a commerce out of Cincinnati. Hypothesis about an early Andrew Luck adjoining retirement has been pushed completely by followers attributable to Burrow’s damage historical past.
However can’t all of us admit that his media availability this week felt a bit unusual?
Whereas the Bengals flounder by means of yet one more misplaced season attributable to yet one more dangerous protection and yet one more damage to their famous person quarterback, it’s Burrow himself that’s talking out in frustration.
“If I need to preserve doing this, I’ve to have enjoyable doing it,” Burrow mentioned. “I have been by means of quite a bit and if it isn’t enjoyable, then what am I doing it for? So that is the mindset I am making an attempt to convey to the desk.”
Burrow missed 9 video games attributable to a extreme case of turf toe. Sadly, his return was too late for the Bengals, who discover themselves chasing NFL Draft order versus playoff seeding.
Standard ESPN sports activities talker Stephen A. Smith admitted this week that Burrow’s remarks about not having enjoyable showcase his first signal of unhappiness in Cincinnati.
Absolutely, the sixth-year quarterback understands his present state of affairs.
He’s one of many highest-paid passers within the sport, deservedly so. However so are his high two huge receivers, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. The Bengals are notoriously low cost and went out of their manner to assist their franchise quarterback on the expense of offensive line and defensive help.
With head coach Zac Taylor hopefully on the way in which out of city, a brand new head coach might be underneath immense strain to win and click on with Burrow, who nonetheless desires to win.
If that doesn’t occur, the Vikings make a ton of sense as a commerce accomplice.
Only a 12 months in the past, the Vikings had been one of the vital feared groups within the NFC. However their gamble on first-year starter J.J. McCarthy has blown up dramatically. It’s clear the younger quarterback is holding again the remainder of the roster, together with Burrow’s LSU teammate, Justin Jefferson.
Vikings common supervisor Kwesi Adofo-Mensah labored underneath Cleveland Browns GM Andrew Berry, who notoriously traded three first-round draft picks for Deshaun Watson.
Whereas some would argue that commerce ought to function a warning in opposition to an enormous commerce for a famous person quarterback, each common managers have remained aggressive following that mistake.
In spite of everything, quarterback is a very powerful place in sports activities. If a giant swing backfires, you find yourself proper again within the NFL Draft to seek out one other one.
The AFC North isn’t going wherever. The Pittsburgh Steelers have in some way remained related all of those years after Ben Roethlisberger retired. They only discover methods to win. The identical might be mentioned for the Baltimore Ravens, who’re definitely having a down 12 months, however nonetheless have Lamar Jackson and a stellar protection. A reset in Cincy may make sense, particularly if their most-expensive participant is fed up.
On the flip aspect, the NFC North is deadly. So as to compete with Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears, Jordan Love and the Inexperienced Bay Packers or Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions, you’re going to want an elite quarterback. McCarthy has not proven any indicators of being that.
File this commerce concept in your again pocket. Burrow is a competitor. It’s laborious to think about a world the place he simply walks away from the sport of soccer.
A commerce to a greater state of affairs can be more likely if his frustration ever boils over.
