Joe Burrow doesn't shy away from praising Bengals rookie Day 3 draft pick following strong training camp
When Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow highlights a young player, attention must be paid. Trust is required and hardly renewable for those hoping to be featured in the offense Burrow commands. Rookies can take time to gain it from any quarterback, so making a strong impression early on is the best way to gain opportunities. Tight end […]
When Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow highlights a young player, attention must be paid. Trust is required and hardly renewable for those hoping to be featured in the offense Burrow commands.
Rookies can take time to gain it from any quarterback, so making a strong impression early on is the best way to gain opportunities.
Tight end Erick All may very well already have Burrow's trust.
All, the Bengals' fourth-round pick from this year's NFL Draft, started on the Non-Football Injury list at the beginning of training camp back in July. He returned to practice just over a week later and immediately looked like he should've been picked in the first three rounds of the draft instead. His receiving ability showed itself in practice. His versatility as a blocker was on display in the preseason.
Weeks worth or progress and development caught Burrow's eye, as explained during his Wednesday press conference.
"That's a guy that really gets better," Burrow said of All. "That's what you really want to see from a young player. He's got all the talent in the world, but he banks reps, he learns from his mistakes, can jump high, catch, run fast, those are all things you want to see from a young player."
Stacking reps is a core belief for Burrow, who consistently references the process when talking about himself. Getting better each and every day is his modus operandi. When he sees it encapsulate a teammate, that's a definite building block of trust.
So far, so promising.
"The thing I'm looking forward to and excited about is he wants to get better," Burrow said. "He is eager to learn. He's gotten so much better throughout training camp because of that."
There's only room for All to go up. He's got three veterans ahead of him on the depth chart, as expected, in a crowded five-deep tight end room. But All's usage as a detached blocker on certain run plays suggests that he may have a niche role carved out for his rookie season, even if his snaps won't be through the roof.
Should he see more looks in the passing game as his rookie campaign progresses, you can be certain it's because Burrow continues to trust him more and more.
Bengals’ Week 1 depth chart requires a little bit of nuance at the tight end position
Two very different players will have very different roles, regardless of their starting status.
