The Cincinnati Bengals want Joe Burrow’s extension done.
One doesn’t need inside sources or anything of the sort to glean that much. But it sure doesn’t hurt the Bengals made that clear more than a year ago while devising contracts for free agents and have said as much in interviews.
Fast forward to now, right as Burrow actually becomes eligible to sign an extension, and the team has made it clear they’re open for business as soon as Burrow’s reps are ready.
And as Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic expertly pointed out, it has little to do with the team just wanting to wipe sweat from its forehead and get past something intimating:
“They will have urgency for two major reasons. The most important is you can’t have a totally clear view of what can be spent and the available money for free agents and extensions until the first, giant domino falls. Second, getting done before other extension-eligible quarterbacks like Justin Herbert, Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson get done would avoid another team dictating the terms of the new floor for his deal.”
The Bengals can technically afford to let other quarterback dominoes fall and still pay Burrow the market rate. But it’s a fool’s errand to gamble in that manner. It takes one desperate or just different team (hello, Cleveland) to mess the market up for the rest of the teams and/or players.
And the Bengals can’t afford to wait because of the tricky free-agent class headlined by Jessie Bates, Germaine Pratt and Vonn Bell. While the technical cap hit of Burrow’s extension won’t boom for a few years still, the instant cash part of the equation will. The front office has to know where it stands on that front well before formulating a strategy that includes bringing back their own guys and looking at outsiders when the market opens.
The Bengals have done a great job of selling naming rights, etc., to generate cash flow for stadium upgrades and contract expenditures. But it will be fascinating to watch whether Burrow’s team favors guaranteed cash or leans into a more team-friendly rollover deal for many years like the one Patrick Mahomes took in Kansas City.
Reports have tried to suggest Burrow’s deal will reset the market, but that’s a tricky thing to nail down. And with quarterback deals, the “reset’ doesn’t exactly last long — hence one of the big reasons the team wants it done as soon as possible.
