Bengals reporter hints at the potential hold up in Joe Burrow's contract extension talks
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is going to receive a contract extension before the start of the 2023 season. It's not a matter of "if", but simply "when". The Bengals are going to lock down Burrow, who is already arguably a top two quarterback in the NFL, for the foreseeable future. They 100 percent will […]
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is going to receive a contract extension before the start of the 2023 season.
It's not a matter of "if", but simply "when".
The Bengals are going to lock down Burrow, who is already arguably a top two quarterback in the NFL, for the foreseeable future. They 100 percent will not let Burrow get away — that's not even a remote possibility.
So the question is why isn't this deal done yet?
The Athletic's Paul Dehner provided a potential reason this week in his weekly mailbag.
Dehner suggested that "outside forces" are a factor.
"Conversations surrounding the Burrow extension timing have often mentioned outside forces at play," wrote Dehner. "So many vested interests are intertwined in this negotiation. That includes agents, the union, other quarterbacks, team and player. I do think waiting for (Justin) Herbert is part of the holdup."
(You can read Dehner's full answer here.)
If we read between the lines, it's pretty easy to see what's going on here.
Burrow obviously wants to be paid. But he wants to make sure the Bengals can put a championship team around him for years to come, too. And he's going to make sure his deal leaves room for Cincinnati to make necessary moves in the coming years.
I think — and this is just speculation — that this deal would already be done if Burrow had his way. I don't think Burrow cares about being the highest paid quarterback in the league (that honor never lasts long anyway).
But those outside factors that Dehner mentioned — specifically agents and the union — want Burrow to get as much as he possibly can so he can "set the market". That means waiting on Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert to sign his extension (which will also likely happen this offseason). After Herbert signs, Burrow's agent and the Bengals can finish his deal and construct his contract in a way that gives Cincy plenty of flexibility while also making Burrow a higher paid quarterback than Herbert.
It's silly, but that's the way business works in the NFL. Burrow has to make sure his deal isn't harmful to future quarterbacks who will be looking for massive contract extensions while also not paralyzing Cincinnati's ability to field a championship roster on an annual basis.
The deal with get done. Cincy will have salary cap flexibility and Burrow will be a Bengal for years to come. There's no reason to worry if you're a Cincinnati fan. Instead, all you can do is wait — which, according to the late Tom Petty, is the hardest part.
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