Whether the Cincinnati Bengals did enough to fix the offensive line in front of Joe Burrow this offseason remains a hot topic for debate.
And when every move and possibility gets pointed out, it seems like another jarring Joe Burrow stat emerges to act as a counterweight that paints the moves in a so-so light.
The latest comes from NFL analyst Warrren Sharp, who revealed that while the league average time to throw is 2.7 seconds, Burrow was hit by defenders in less than 2.5 seconds 148 times, with no other passer in the NFL above 119 times.
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That might seem like a small thing. But considering Burrow’s quick release and generally great pocket management, it makes a world of difference that his lines over the years can’t prevent him from getting hit before a league-average mark.
As a disclaimer, some of this is on Burrow and his propensity to extend players. But they go hand-in-hand.
Now, simply putting a mid-round rookie like Dylan Fairchild in a starting guard spot and a mid-tier free agent like Lucas Patrick at the other after adding Scott Peters as line coach might not feel like enough. Historically, the Bengals have been bad at developing their own linemen and much of their success has come from signing guys other teams developed, like Orlando Brown Jr. and Ted Karras.
Maybe that changes under a new line coach now. But the lack of a bigger move is jarring and, if this stat doesn’t change, Burrow could be in for another rough season while attempting to compensate for his line.
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