WR Jermaine Burton to Bills Mini Camp

[Billy Claude]

Just now, billsfan89 said:

Didn’t they take a guy from the Steelers that was a bit of a head case into camp a few years ago?

Yes Chase Claypoole and Elijah Moore last year were both headcases though this guy is one level above.

[Pete]

2 hours ago, NoSaint said:

It’s literally picking up the lottery ticket in the parking lot to check the numbers. 
 

unlikely to payoff but could be found money 

It’s this years Chase Claypool 

[YoloinOhio]

16 minutes ago, Pete said:

It’s this years Chase Claypool 

I think he’s got more baggage than clay pool 

[NeverOutNick]

22 minutes ago, YoloinOhio said:

I think he’s got more baggage than clay pool 

For sure but the upside and youth are intriguing. I’m glad they’re doing their due diligence on a player with his upside 

[Psautcsk]

3 hours ago, CSBill said:

And if he was going to the Chief's camp, we would be roasting them: "Allegedly" broke into a home, choked his girlfriend, hit her, broke her phone--twice, pushed her down a set of stairs, hit a rival fan after a game, and was evicted because he didn't pay his rent and trashed the property.

 

Yeah, sounds like a great guy. I guess he deserves the opportunity to rehab his life and reputation. But if he moves into your neighborhood, be sure your doors are locked.

 

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/43349327/bengals-jermaine-burton-allegedly-involved-domestic-dispute

Good thing we don't have Diggs any longer. Imagine those two hanging out?

[starrymessenger]

42 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

If he crashes out, you cut him. You aren’t building a WR room about it. There’s not a world where he becomes a focal point that can’t be replaced. Right now, he’d be taking Trent Sherfield or Mecole Hardman’s roster spot. If he loses it, you dump him and go pick up whatever “Mecole Hardman type” is sitting out there. It’s a lottery ticket the same way (but different) that Hamler, Isabella, Claypool, etc… were

So sure it’s not a risk “right now” as you say when he’s competing with fringe players for a roster spot at the bottom of the order. Thats an easy call. But thats not the only factual situation that needs to be considered. What if he winds up a valued #2, which is probably more in keeping with his ability and what you would want ideally if you are going to have anything to do with him in the first place? Would you want the risk of his blowing up in the middle of a championship run? This guy is a much worse head case than Diggs.

There are enuf wideouts out there who can play and who are not crazy - assuming you know how to scout and draft them. Of course if you don't maybe you have no choice but to go that route. I don't see it as a solution to the problem.

Having said that clearly every case has to be evaluated individually. You can probably get comfortable with some players - but not with others. This is not a guy I would trust or commit resources to.

[Kirby Jackson]

19 minutes ago, starrymessenger said:

So sure it’s not a risk “right now” as you say when he’s competing with fringe players for a roster spot at the bottom of the order. Thats an easy call. But thats not the only factual situation that needs to be considered. What if he winds up a valued #2, which is probably more in keeping with his ability and what you would want ideally if you are going to have anything to do with him in the first place? Would you want the risk of his blowing up in the middle of a championship run? This guy is a much worse head case than Diggs.

There are enuf wideouts out there who can play and who are not crazy - assuming you know how to scout and draft them. Of course if you don't maybe you have no choice but to go that route. I don't see it as a solution to the problem.

Having said that clearly every case has to be evaluated individually. You can probably get comfortable with some players - but not with others. This is not a guy I would trust or commit resources to.

If he winds up a valuable number 2, everything that he does from here until that point is house money. You never plan on him. If he crashes out, you cut him. As of today, they’ll be counting on the guys currently on the roster. If they decide Burton is better than Keon/Palmer, the floor when they cut him is where they are today.
 

He’s not blowing up a locker room. He doesn’t have enough juice. He’s a head case looking for a chance. He doesn’t have the resume of Diggs and he was dumped. I’m not advocating for or against Burton. I’m simply saying it’s a lottery ticket with no risk. Claypool was the same way. 

Edited April 27 by Kirby Jackson

[NoSaint]

59 minutes ago, Billy Claude said:

Are there any examples of this type of reclamation projects on a guy with zero previous success in the NFL which actually worked? I'm not counting rookies or people who had already proven they are legitimate NFL players.

to be fair there are very few examples that thread the first half of that needle unless you count rookies too

10 minutes ago, starrymessenger said:

So sure it’s not a risk “right now” as you say when he’s competing with fringe players for a roster spot at the bottom of the order. Thats an easy call. But thats not the only factual situation that needs to be considered. What if he winds up a valued #2, which is probably more in keeping with his ability and what you would want ideally if you are going to have anything to do with him in the first place? Would you want the risk of his blowing up in the middle of a championship run? This guy is a much worse head case than Diggs.

There are enuf wideouts out there who can play and who are not crazy - assuming you know how to scout and draft them. Of course if you don't maybe you have no choice but to go that route. I don't see it as a solution to the problem.

Having said that clearly every case has to be evaluated individually. You can probably get comfortable with some players - but not with others. This is not a guy I would trust or commit resources to.

you just don’t give him the huge guaranteed dollars. 
 

he’s your 5th wr overachieving, not your 2nd wr that you opted out of other deals to prioritize. 
 

if sherfield shocks and gets 1500 yards and then stabs a guy with a pair of scissors in December it’d be a bummer of a curveball but the playoff wr group is no worse than we planned on going into the season

[The Firebaugh Kid]

3 hours ago, NoSaint said:

He and cjgj will battle if he makes it to camp

Yeah that’s a fight pretty much every day lol

[GASabresIUFan]

Beane throwing more WR spaghetti at the wall.  Talent was never the issue. Attitude and maturity was always the issue.  

[PauleeeWalnuts]

He’s a real piece of trash, not happy about this one at all. The Billls shouldn’t be the team that gives a second chance to a guy that beat his girlfriend and threatened her with a knife. He also has a reputation for being MIA for meetings and practices and for being uncoachable. Bad look for BB and JB IMO 

[Brand J]

1 hour ago, Billy Claude said:

Are there any examples of this type of reclamation projects on a guy with zero previous success in the NFL which actually worked? I'm not counting rookies or people who had already proven they are legitimate NFL players.

Dunno about NFL, but Dennis Rodman is the player I think of who started his career as an absolute headcase and finished it as a (less volatile) player the team could count on - Vegas trip notwithstanding. The crazy probably doesn’t completely go away with these types. 

[Cubanmist 1]

4 hours ago, CSBill said:

And if he was going to the Chief's camp, we would be roasting them: "Allegedly" broke into a home, choked his girlfriend, hit her, broke her phone--twice, pushed her down a set of stairs, hit a rival fan after a game, and was evicted because he didn't pay his rent and trashed the property.

 

Yeah, sounds like a great guy. I guess he deserves the opportunity to rehab his life and reputation. But if he moves into your neighborhood, be sure your doors are locked.

 

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/43349327/bengals-jermaine-burton-allegedly-involved-domestic-dispute

I’m all for giving people 2nd chances, but this right here is just too much to take in. That is a psychological issue. There something not right with him. There will be drama. Also consider, if he gets a contract from the Bills who’s to say that someone wont sue him?

Edited April 27 by Cubanmist 1
Mispelling

[starrymessenger]

24 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

If he winds up a valuable number 2, everything that he does from here until that point is house money. You never plan on him. If he crashes out, you cut him. As of today, they’ll be counting on the guys currently on the roster. If they decide Burton is better than Keon/Palmer, the floor when they cut him is where they are today.
 

He’s not blowing up a locker room. He doesn’t have enough juice. He’s a head case looking for a chance. He doesn’t have the resume of Diggs and he was dumped. I’m not advocating for or against Burton. I’m simply saying it’s a lottery ticket with no risk. Claypool was the same way. 

He was a projected first rounder talent wise, said by many to be a top 30 guy. Word is many teams took him off their boards because of character issues. Wouldn’t be surprised if the Bills did. Bengals didn’t and regret it having risked and wasted a third. Do you think any of those other teams would now invite him to their mini camp? If there is no risk and only upside why wouldn’t they? 

[MrEpsYtown]

Apparently Burton goes a ways back with Joe Brady. Burton infamously flipped his college commitment like 6-7 times. He settled on LSU to go play for Brady and they spoke on the phone a million times. Then apparently he flipped his commitment to Georgia because Brady was leaving for the NFL. So there is a connection there. 

[Alphadawg7]

Cris Carter was once on the brink of being a never was and then got his life together.  
 

No risk here - he shows he’s ready to grow up and play or he is an easy cut.  

[Joe Marino]

All in on Burton!

[transplantbillsfan]

Love this swing!

 

Wasn't he one of those 1st round talent guys dinged for character?

[Joe Marino]

10 minutes ago, transplantbillsfan said:

Love this swing!

 

Wasn't he one of those 1st round talent guys dinged for character?

I think I read that somewhere🤔

[gonzo1105]

Interesting for sure. I mean even if he's impressive enough to be signed after this tryout he would essentially have to be a saint for well over a year on a roster doing everything that he is asked to no questions asked showing up for everything on time to even have a shot at making it again. 

 

My guess is even if he does everything correct, the Bills sign him he'll be a guy who ends up on the  PS but thats getting way ahead of ourselves anyways.