Joe Burrow, Mike Hilton and other Bengals players discuss Jermaine Burton's situation

CINCINNATI – Bengals wide receiver Jermaine Burton was inactive Sunday.

We shared the exclusive report on his missed walkthrough situation on Saturday.

Bengals head coach Zac Taylor commented on Burton's actions after the game.

What did his teammates think?

“Jermaine will be a great player. You just have to do the little things right,” Joe Burrow said. “He’s a guy whose behavior you like. You like his energy. He trains hard. He has a chance.”

Will he take advantage of his chance? He didn't do it this week. Burton was instrumental in the game plan.

The 23-year-old was not present at Saturday's walkthrough, league sources said. This resulted in him being inactive on Sunday.

“When you get to this point in your career, you have to grow up. You are a grown man. Nobody will bother you anymore,” Mike Hilton said. “We know how talented he is and how much he can help, but he needs to grow up and mature and realize he has to put the team before himself.”

Burton has been a healthy inactive twice this season. The Bengals selected him in the third round (80th overall) in the 2024 NFL Draft.

“It’s a special situation,” Sam Hubbard said after the game. “I personally just want to make sure he's OK and see if there's anything I can do to help him. Be there for him if something comes up. Young people, sometimes they just need someone to be by their side and help them.” Because you never know what people are going through, this organization is a great place for people who just need to learn how to be a professional.

The Bengals coaching staff scrapped their plan with Burton and it worked. They reached the 40-point mark for the first time this season in a 41-24 win over the Raiders.

“The coaches did a great job,” Trenton Irwin said. “They were able to be flexible. And I know they did some last-minute overtime because of injuries and stuff. They’re doing great.”

This is the third time this season that the offensive team has had to make significant changes to their game plan at the end of the week.

Tee Higgins suffered a hamstring injury on the Friday before the season opener. He had a quadriceps problem the Friday before the Eagles game in Week 8 and this Burton situation happened on Saturday.

“We have the people who can move somehow,” Andrei Iosivas said. “Ja'Marr has been in the offense for a long time, I understand the offense, the tight ends are really smart. Of course you want to go without that little burst of speed throughout the week, but that doesn't really affect us.”

Taylor said the team had no further disciplinary action planned following Burton's walkthrough debacle. For a rookie who has talent but needs to do the right things – on and off the field – it's time to check his gut.

“He’s a rookie, so you expect some things, but that’s what’s special about this deal,” Hilton said. “We can’t worry about the next guy. All we can worry about is the boys who are here and locked up.”

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