Joe Burrow's Camp Delaying Potential Contract Extension With Cincinnati Bengals?

The 26-year-old is eligible for an extension. He has two years left on his contract.

Author:
James Rapien
Updated:
Sep 4, 2023 12:43 PM EDT
Original:
Sep 4, 2023

In this story:

CINCINNATI — Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is back at practice after missing the entire preseason with a calf strain.

He's expected to play on Sunday in Cleveland. The moment he returned to practice, the focus shifted from his injury to his contract. Will the Bengals sign their star quarterback to a long-term extension before the start of the regular season?

Sports Illustrated's Andrew Brandt thinks Burrow's side could be delaying things. He's clearly speculating a bit, but it sounds like it could be educated speculation from the front office insider.

"My sense, however, is that the delay is coming more from Burrow’s side," Brandt wrote. "Maybe—and I would advise him of this—he does not want a seven-year deal (five extension years) and wants a shorter deal, like Dak Prescott, to have another bite at the free-agency apple at a younger age. Or maybe—and I would advise him of this as well—he wants to wait to negotiate a new contract until he has one year left on his contract (2024) or no years left on his contract (’25)."

Any extension Burrow signed with the Bengals would add onto his current deal. A four-year contract would keep him in Cincinnati for the next six seasons. A 5-year deal would mean he'd be under contract for the next seven seasons.

Waiting a year would be an interesting strategy. It would also be unprecedented. Star quarterbacks get paid after their first three seasons. Jalen Hurts, Justin Herbert, even Kyler Murray got paid.

Lamar Jackson was the outlier, but he inked a five-year, $260 million deal this offseason.

Brandt also wonders if Burrow could be pushing for a fully guaranteed contract.

"Maybe Burrow, in his quiet way, is digging in on the Deshaun Watson precedent of a fully secured contract, a precedent that has become more of an aberration with subsequent quarterback contract negotiations," he wrote. "If so, more power to him; someone has to take a stand for NFL players to be treated more similarly to NBA and Major League Baseball players. The player who pushed the hardest for this type of contract was Jackson, and he now has the best recent contract for any quarterback."

There's also a good chance that Burrow's deal gets done this week. Once upon a time the Bengals signed Geno Atkins to a long-term contract on the Monday before the season opener. They inked A.J. Green just two days before opening the 2015 season.

Contract negotiations take time. Maybe Burrow is pushing to wait a year. Maybe he's hoping to land a fully guaranteed contract. Or maybe he'll sign a long-term deal over the next few days.

Check out the full article here.

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