Boomer Esiason says Joe Burrow ‘needs to play’ in NFL preseason

One of the best to ever do it in a Bengals’ uniform agrees with all of us.

The preseason is quickly approaching as the Cincinnati Bengals take the field for their first practice game in just a week. We’re entering Year 7 of the Zac Taylor regime. In the past, Taylor hasn’t been a big fan of his starters playing in games that don’t matter, which makes sense when you’re protecting the health of your most important player.

Former Bengals’ quarterback Boomer Esiason joined Kay Adams on on “Up & Adams” where he shared his thoughts on the subject.

“I can only go by my own personal experience that we had four preseason games, so we had a lot more time to play,” the Bengals’ legend said last week. “So it would be like 10 plays the first preseason game, a quarter the second preseason game, the third preseason game we would play the whole first half. So these guys only have two preseason games, and I think he needs to play, I think they all need to play. They don’t find their rhythm until like Week 5 or 6, it’s ridiculous. It’s on everybody’s mind, everybody knows it.”

Since Burrow was drafted in 2020, the Bengals have only had one season in which they went into Week 5 with a winning record, and that was in 2021 when he took them to the Super Bowl. The following season, when they went to the AFC Championship game, they were 2-2, but they have been a miserable 3-9-1 in the other seasons combined through the first four weeks.

Esiason thinks that won’t happen this year.

“I think they will be better earlier in the season, they’ll be more aware of it, and I’m glad to hear he is gonne play in the preseason,” he continued. “He doesn’t have to play but like 20 to 30 to 40 plays, but he’s just got to get that feel of life football and not feel like the first time you’re out there like last year against the Patriots, he looked very uncomfortable in that game, and that’s a game that they should’ve put up 30 points in.”

Taylor already said he plans to play Burrow this preseason “more than he ever has,” but more than ever could be just a series or two. Hopefully we get to see some real work from Burrow and the rest of first-team offense. It would be nice if they went into Cleveland in Week 1 and looked like they were in mid-season form.

With a couple very winnable games scheduled to start the season for the Bengals, it would be nice if they could get off to at least a 3-0 start before they take on the Broncos on the road on Monday Night in Week 4.