Betting lines set for the number of passing touchdowns Joe Burrow will have this season

How many touchdowns will Joe Burrow throw for the Bengals as a rookie? The betting lines are set.

The Bengals are going to select Joe Burrow with No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft on Thursday night. 

The 2019 Heisman Trophy winner led the nation in passing yards (5,671),  touchdown passes (60) and completion percentage (76.3). 

How many touchdowns will Burrow throw in his rookie season? Betting lines have already been made for the rookie signal-caller, even though he hasn't been drafted. Bovada set the over/under at 20.5 touchdown passes. 

Baker Mayfield set the rookie record for touchdown passes in a season with 27 after being drafted by the Browns with the No. 1 pick in 2018. Kyler Murray, who was drafted by the Cardinals with the top pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, threw 20 touchdowns as a rookie last season.

Most Bengals fans may jump at the over for Burrow, but that number is dependent on a lot of factors. Can A.J. Green stay healthy? Will John Ross avoid injury and build on last season? 

The dynamic duo of Andy Dalton and Ryan Finley combined for 18 touchdown passes in 16 games last season. A big part of that had to do with Green and Ross being injured. Poor offensive line play was another reason. 

The Bengals are optimistic about their line heading into the draft. Jonah Williams is healthy and expected to start at left tackle.

 "He's fully healthy, ready to go,” head coach Zac Taylor said this week. “It's too bad that we didn't get a chance to use him last year, but we're getting a healthy player who is in the right state of mind mentally. He's ready to help us at left tackle and we're excited to get Jonah back on the field.”

The Bengals plan on adding another wide receiver and an offensive lineman in the first four rounds of the draft. It's also going to be challenging to play well as a rookie, despite not having an in-person offseason program due to COVID-19. 

Burrow could throw 21 touchdown passes as a rookie, but it's dependent several factors that are beyond his control.