NFL insider quells fears about Bengals QB Joe Burrow's contract situation
It's the Wednesday before the Cincinnati Bengals play their Week 1 game against the Cleveland Browns. That means practice will be conducted in the afternoon, and Joe Burrow is scheduled to speak with the media.And it looks like he'll do so without a contract extension. The clock is ticking for both sides to come to […]
It's the Wednesday before the Cincinnati Bengals play their Week 1 game against the Cleveland Browns. That means practice will be conducted in the afternoon, and Joe Burrow is scheduled to speak with the media.
And it looks like he'll do so without a contract extension.
The clock is ticking for both sides to come to an agreement before the team travels upstate this weekend, but optimism continues to leak from the building despite both sides keeping negotiations airtight between them.
Per The Athletic's Dianna Russini, "There’s optimism in the building and in the locker room that a deal could get done over the next few days." And if the worst case scenario occurs and a deal isn't reached, that won't impact whether or not Burrow suits up for Week 1.
"But what if Burrow’s new extension hasn’t been completed and signed before Sunday? Will Burrow even step foot on the field in Cleveland? One league source texted me: 'Joe is a competitor. He’s not missing a game against the Browns. Not worried about the contract'” – Russini on Burrow.
I don't think anyone who has followed this story has considered the idea of Burrow sitting out actual games if the unlikely timeline where to come true. It's been the accepted belief that the Bengals will get this done before the games begin, because they rarely ever continue negotiations during the regular season.
If Burrow was truly considering sitting out of games as a leverage play, he wouldn't have returned to practice coming off a strained calf when he did. Burrow practiced for the first time a week ago. Something dire must occur between now and Sunday during negotiations for a switch to flip in Burrow's mind.
The most likely scenario is Burrow takes the field Sunday with a new contract signed. Until that doesn't happen, that's the expectation.
Bengals: The countdown is on for Joe Burrow’s extension
Burrow remains without an extension as the regular season is less than a week away.
Featured image via © Cara Owsley/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
