I give the Bengals a ‘D’ for not protecting Burrow in draft | Opinion.
*Joe Burrow* — QB1 for the Cincinnati Bengals
*Quick hits — 2026 season*
– *Age*: 29 — Born Dec 10, 1996
– *Contract*: $275M deal, signed 2023. $55M/year avg
– *2025 stats*: 4,241 pass yds, 29 TD, 9 INT. Sacked 38 times — 5th most in NFL
– *Health*: Fully healthy entering 2026. Wrist/calf injuries from 2023 are behind him
– *Draft noise right now*: Bengals fans are mad because Cincy used *0 picks in Rounds 1-4* on O-line in the 2026 draft despite Burrow getting pressured on 29% of dropbacks last year
*Why “Burrow” is trending*
1. *Draft criticism*: _“For not protecting Burrow in draft | Opinion”_ posts are all over Bengals groups giving the team a ‘D’ grade
2. *AFC North arms race*: Ravens + Steelers both beefed up O-line and pass rush. Bengals didn’t.
3. *MVP talks*: If he stays upright, he’s a top-3 MVP candidate with Chase + Higgins + Burton
*Big question for 2026*: Can Burrow survive behind the same O-line? Cincy’s starters are: Orlando Brown Jr, Cordell Volson, Ted Karras, Alex Cappa, Trent Brown. No major additions.
Want Burrow’s full 2026 projections, or the Bengals draft picks to see why fans are fuming?
