Not so fast, draftniks. While there's been quite a bit of speculation surrounding if the Cincinnati Bengals will trade out of the highly-coveted first-overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, it's becoming more and more clear they're not focused on doing so, and especially considering it would mean passing up on consensus top pick Joe Burrow. The allure of it will remain until the pick is in, due to the nature of what it'd cost most teams to move up and acquire the seat, but when the organization is continually posed the question -- it's routinely met with a casual response that's nearly equivalent to a "no thanks."
While it's still unofficial that Burrow is atop the Bengals draft board, the latest evidence of a potential unwillingness to trade back is present in how head coach Zac Taylor recently addressed the rumors in a conversation on the Dan Patrick Show.
"I think we're comfortable with the direction we're headed," he said.
That direction doesn't to be anything other than submitting a pick when they go on the clock at No. 1.
"If there is a guy there that you believe in that can really change the franchise over the next 10-15 years, then that's a hard thing to pass up on," Taylor said. "You know, people all the time ask me what would it take to give up that pick and if there's somebody there that people are willing to give up a lot for, that they believe in, then that just really verifies what we think about those players as well."
Time will tell if the Bengals make the logical move to grab the 2019 Heisman winner who also led LSU to a national championship thanks to arguably the best individual collegiate season in history, but Taylor isn't shy about heaping praise upon Burrow.
"He's got a great edge to him, I think that's the best way to put it," Taylor said. "You know, you can talk about confidence and all that stuff to quarterbacks, but he's one of those guys that put in the work, so he's got the confidence in his abilities because there's not a lot of unknown out there for him. ...We've gotten to know him."
Of course, as to not tip his hand, Taylor also made sure to pull Burrow back toward the overall handful of coveted QBs.
"We've gotten to know a lot of the guys during this conversation over the last couple of weeks," he added. "We've really maxed out that time talking to [Burrow]. We feel comfortable with all those guys there at the top. ...We don't have any jerseys made up just yet."
While it's true the Bengals still have time to change their mind, chances are they won't. Any team clamoring to throw them the kitchen sink for the first-overall pick simply makes them dig their heels in deeper, as a 2-14 team readying to ship out Andy Dalton and in dire need of a new face of the franchise in Taylor's second season with the club. The way they see it, if everyone wants to move up so badly, there must be a reason.
Spoiler: There is.