The Cincinnati Bengals' fate as a franchise completely changed when they were able to use the No. 1 overall pick in Joe Burrow in 2020. Some will call that luck, perfect timing, or some might even describe it as a properly executed strategy.

But that was only step one of the Joe Burrow Saga.

Over the next few months, the Bengals have to take care of one of the most challenging offseason tasks that they will face in years: Signing Burrow to a long-term contract extension.

In turn, that means a shift in how the team will be constructed. In the NFL, there seem to be two viable paths to roster building. And at times, it would appear that the path chooses the team, not the other way around. Here they are:

1. You build a great, talented team with a quarterback under a rookie (and cheap) QB contract OR
2. You pay your guy top-tier quarterback money (dictated almost entirely by the market rate and not by where the player stacks up against others in the league).

The Bengals are in the rare position to pay their quarterback top dollar without skipping a beat because Burrow is one of very few truly elite players at his position in the entire league. Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen are perhaps the only other two guys there are absolutely no questions about.

Of course, that means potentially losing out on great supporting casts like the one Burrow has had at wide receiver to start his career (even though the offensive line has remained an issue). In essence, asking the Bengals' Joe Cool to put more weight on his back.

Ja'Marr Chase raises some eyebrows

But wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase has raised several eyebrows during Super Bowl Week by talking about Burrow's contract extension. Earlier in the week, he delivered some excitement to Bengals fans on Super Bowl Live by saying:

“I don’t think Joe’s really too worried about how much money he’s gonna make because he’s already making a tremendous amount."

That was on Wednesday. Then on Friday, Chase shared similar thoughts on the Around the NFL podcast. This time he claimed that Burrow "is going to do the right thing."

https://www.twitter.com/TonyUnzo/status/1624077317751316481

Chase was specifically responding to a Tee Higgins-related question.

"I'm always in Tee's ear every day making sure he's trying to stay with me," confessed the Bengals superstar wide receiver before adding an intriguing comment about Joey B.

"I think Joe's going to do the right thing, (he's) not a cocky dude when it comes to money."

Should Bengals fans buy into Chase's words?

Joe Burrow has surprised me at every turn of his career. From that epic 2019 LSU season to getting to the Super Bowl in 2021-2022 and another trip to the AFC Championship game this year. All of it has been a great surprise.

But you have to be skeptical at the suggestion that Burrow is not going to get paid the very best deal in the NFL. It's how the quarterback market works. And while many point to Tom Brady's strategy of taking less than he could've, let's not forget his first big contract did make him the highest-paid quarterback at the time.

I just don't see Burrow (and more specifically, Burrow's camp) taking a contract that doesn't push the market forward. Keep in mind, there are too many factors involved including the NFLPA. The player's union needs players like Joe to keep pushing the owners to pay more and more.

The real key will come down to the details of the deal. Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs came up with a 10-year deal that was an absolute win-win for everybody. Its structure allowed KC to restructure, rework, and even extend Mahomes in a cap-friendly fashion.

Can the Bengals and Burrow pull off a similar feat?

That will be what it's all about this offseason. Not about a discount.

Featured image via Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports