Bengals continue to have high expectations for Joe Burrow despite unprecedented offseason
CINCINNATI — Bengals head coach Zac Taylor did everything but confirm what we thought would be the case this season: Joe Burrow is going to be the team's starting quarterback.
In his first news conference of training camp, the second-year head coach expressed confidence in the rookie signal-caller, even though Burrow hasn't taken the field with his teammates.
"We're going to put a lot on Joe right out of the gate," Taylor said. "Obviously we have weeks to sort out who's starting and all that good stuff, but Joe's going to walk in and take the first snaps at quarterback. He's prepared for that."
Burrow's preparation for the 2020 season has been unique. He's learned the entire playbook virtually and has spent the offseason at his parents house in Athens, Ohio. Instead of throwing to A.J. Green and Tyler Boyd, he threw to a few of his former high school teammates.
It would be easy to grow frustrated with the process, but the 23-year-old has embraced the challenge.
"He's been great. He's always had the right mindset," Taylor said. It's all the things you expected when you drafted the guy and all you'd heard about him dating back to college and high school, so he's been as advertised. Obviously, we haven't had an opportunity to see him on the field in any way shape or form, but everything's been good with him."
The Bengals are hoping to get Burrow and the rest of the team on the field in the near future. Taylor expressed confidence in the safety plan that the team has implemented inside Paul Brown Stadium.
Burrow's first snaps against an NFL opponent will come in Week 1 against the Chargers. The league cancelled all four preseason games, which isn't ideal for a rookie quarterback hoping to gain experience.
"This is a different year than last year," Taylor said. "We have a lot of guys that have grown from the experience of last year — rookies and veterans. We have a lot of new pieces to the puzzle as well. A lot of free agents and rookies that we are dependent on. It’s not just Joe. It’s everybody. We want to make sure we are getting them all the opportunities to hit the ground running on September 13 when our first game rolls around. That’s our focus right now. Make sure all the positions are up to speed. We are going to give them all the things they need in the meetings and practices, so that as a team we hit the ground running and play really well in Week 1."
That's a challenge the entire coaching staff must face during training camp. How can they get a team with so many new faces — including a rookie quarterback — ready to go without preseason games?
The Bengals will hold multiple scrimmages to help the team get ready for the regular season.
Taylor thinks his rookie signal-caller is ready for anything that comes his way this season.
"We took him because we have high expectations for Joe," Taylor said. "Everything I have seen about him and know about him he has high expectations for himself. He’s going to do everything he can to put himself in position to be successful. I trust that. When you guys get a chance to talk to him I know you guys will feel the same way."
