The Bengals Released Vontaze Burfict’s Talent Too Late
No one is denying how talented of a football player Vontaze Burfict is. At 28 years old, he's just as explosive as ever and in his prime. He's also a hot-headed liability who can't keep his cool under pressure. Remember that time he tried to take off Antonio Brown's head at the end of a playoff game?
The dangerous move not only got Burfict suspended and fined, it also cost the Bengals the best chance they've had to win a playoff game for the first time since 1991. After the game, Bengals' fans cried from the rooftops for the team to release him. They didn't.
You don't release good talent until you have to. And in true Bengals fashion, they deemed that time to be now, which was actually a few years too late. Burfict, it appears, was tied to Marvin Lewis, who was also fired several years too late.
Since 2013, Burfict has never appeared in more than 11 games in a season. The reasons include injuries and suspensions. All the talent in the world won't keep a player on the field if they can't keep their competitors (or themselves) safe.
Most teams wouldn't have given Burfict as long a leash as they Bengals did. At 28-years-old, however, the linebacker will find a new home. Some team, the Raiders perhaps, will feel like they can keep him straight and take advantage of his talent.
