Bengals Release WR Jermaine Burton After Suspension

The Cincinnati Bengals released wide receiver Jermaine Burton on Monday, ending his brief tenure with the team less than two years after selecting him in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft. The move followed Burton's suspension for the Bengals' Week 14 loss to the Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park, New York, after which he cleared waivers and became an unrestricted free agent.

Burton, a 23-year-old former standout at Alabama and Georgia, did not travel with the team for the December 8 game, where the Bengals fell 39-34 despite leading by 10 points entering the fourth quarter. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow threw for 284 yards and four touchdowns but suffered two costly interceptions, including one returned 63 yards for a score by Buffalo's Christian Benford. The defeat dropped Cincinnati to 4-9, three games behind the AFC North-leading Pittsburgh Steelers with four games remaining, all but eliminating their slim playoff hopes.

The suspension, announced about 90 minutes before kickoff, was described by the team as a one-game disciplinary action for noninjury-related reasons. Burton had not appeared in any games this season, continuing a pattern of issues that limited his role. As...