Joe Burrow’s change in demeanor should worry Zac Taylor

Joe Burrow apparently arrived at Cincinnati Bengals training camp with less patience and a sharper tongue. That might help the Bengals, but it also says plenty about how tired their quarterback has become of watching seasons slip away.

Ja’Marr Chase has nicknamed this version of his quarterback “Mean Joe.” Burrow has been more vocal during practice and quicker to confront teammates when something falls below expectations.

Cincinnati can call that leadership growth. Zac Taylor should probably hear an alarm going off.

Joe Burrow has run out of patience

Burrow has never been the loudest player in the building. His leadership usually came through his preparation, confidence and willingness to take responsibility after losses.

Something changed after the Bengals missed the playoffs for a third consecutive season.

Burrow spent the offseason publicly supporting an aggressive approach from the front office. Cincinnati responded by investing heavily in a defense that contributed to last year’s 6-11 finish. The roster is better, and Burrow has called it the most talented group he has played with since entering the NFL.

That removes several convenient excuses.

The Bengals can no longer point toward an overmatched defense and promise to fix it later. Their offensive stars are in their prime, and the front office finally treated the roster like one with a closing championship window.

Burrow seems to understand the urgency. His coach needs to prove he does too.

Zac Taylor cannot keep living off the past

Taylor will always receive credit for coaching Cincinnati to the Super Bowl after the 2021 season and reaching another AFC Championship Game one year later. Those accomplishments bought him patience.

That supply should be nearly gone.

The Bengals have now watched three straight postseasons from home. Injuries played a role, especially with Burrow appearing in only 35 of a possible 51 games during that stretch. Still, Taylor’s inability to keep the team afloat without his starting quarterback cannot be dismissed forever.

Every coach struggles when a franchise quarterback is unavailable. Cincinnati practically stops functioning.

Burrow becoming more demanding only makes Taylor’s passive presence more noticeable. The quarterback is pushing the front office, setting the tone at practice and correcting teammates when the work is not good enough. Those are admirable qualities. They also sound suspiciously like a portion of the head coach’s job description.

The Bengals have no room for another wasted year

Cincinnati cannot afford another slow start or spend September trying to locate its personality. Playing Burrow and the starting offense during the preseason is supposed to prevent that familiar problem.

A few exhibition drives will not fix a team that lacks urgency.

“Mean Joe” may be exactly what the Bengals need, but his arrival does not feel random. It feels like a quarterback who realizes his prime is being spent waiting for everyone around him to catch up.

If Cincinnati falls short again, Burrow will not be the person facing the most uncomfortable questions. Taylor will be, and his quarterback’s transformation may already be asking the biggest one.