Former Bengals wide receiver Jermaine Burton is set to participate in the Bills’ rookie minicamp, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
Burton, 24, was a third-round pick in 2024 and arrived in Cincinnati with the hopes of becoming a reliable complement to star wideouts Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. He played little as a rookie (only 131 snaps over 14 games) and caught just four of his 14 targets for 107 yards. Pre-draft concerns about his character and maturity turned out to be well-founded. Burton was accused of assault in December and did not travel with the team for their season finale in Pittsburgh due to a coach’s decision.
The Bengals hoped Burton could turn things around in 2025, but he did not appear in a single game. He was suspended in Week 14, waived shortly after, and received virtually no interest this offseason until the Bills came calling.
At Buffalo’s rookie camp, Burton will have to first earn a 90-man roster spot by showing he can still be the player who led the SEC with 20.5 yards per reception in 2023 – without the off-field issues. The Bills’ current wide receiver room is headlined by D.J. Moore and Khalil Shakir with Josh Palmer serving as the No. 3, though fourth-round pick Skyler Bell could push for a role as a rookie.
At present, Burton does not even factor into that equation, but the talent is there. He is still relatively young and will come cheap until and unless he proves he truly belongs in the NFL.
Talented player, but wouldn’t touch him with a ten foot pole, especially as a first time head coach.
A minicamp tryout is fair. He’d probably have been better served by playing in the UFL or going to the CFL.
He entered the league with multiple college programs leaking widely what a terrible guy he is, he behaved badly on the field in college, he was arrested in an ugly incident in 2024, and then he was suspended and released less than two years after costing a third round pick for reasons we don’t even know. I would not let that guy in my building. There are enough other receivers.
He’s an idiot