Deep passing game an area of focus for Joe Burrow, Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals have a lot to prove after finishing out the 2020 season with a x-x-x overall record.

Much of the team’s hiccups were centered around factors others than then-rookie quarterback Joe Burrow — if anything, Burrow quickly became one of the best players on the team in an incredibly short period of time.

But there are still major improvements to be made and put into action across the board, and there’s still some fine-tuning for Burrow to do within his own game.

According to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com, Burrow has spent time after practice consistently the long routes to his receivers.

“We’ve been here two weeks now going into this week, and you don’t necessarily know what shape all these guys are in when they show up,” Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said. “And so the first week you don’t want them just hauling it and running 45-yard go routes all the time and have them strain. That was part of our process, was week three, let’s start pushing the ball down the field a little more. Same goes with Joe. I didn’t know coming into where Burrow was going to be at. Now we’ve gotten a feel for everybody.”

Throughout the offseason, Burrow has shown that he’s made a complete comeback from the severe left knee injury he sustained in November and has also shown an improvement in arm strength — virtually the only thing most analysts truly knocked him for during his career at LSU.

“I think he can throw it probably 90 yards right now,” Taylor said. “I don’t know how far he can throw it. But it’s exciting. He looks really good. I know a lot’s been made about the arm strength and velocity and all that, but he’s throwing the ball on time where it needs to go and that’s what I’m pleased about.”

It’s only reasonable to expect Burrow to expand upon his success in 2021.