Bengals president reveals contract extension in the works with Joe Burrow

Mike Brown, the president of the Cincinnati Bengals, says that the team’s priority is to extend former LSU quarterback Joe Burrow’s contract, per ESPN’s Ben Baby.

“I can tell you that we couldn’t be happier with Joe Burrow,” Brown said. “He’s everything you would wish for, especially for a quarterback in Cincinnati. Our whole focus is going to be on keeping him here.”

A Heisman Trophy winning quarterback at LSU, Joe Burrow had one of the best seasons ever for a college quarterback in 2019. That season, he led the Tigers to a national championship. From there, the Bengals took him with the first overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. He showed promise as a rookie but was sidelined with a major knee injury. Returning in 2021, Joe Burrow showed massive growth, leading Cincinnati to the Super Bowl.

Joe Burrow enters the third year of his rookie contract with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2022. Given the size of the contracts that other quarterbacks are receiving, Burrow can expect an extension that would pay him around $40 million annually. When you pay one player that much money, you’re going to lose players from elsewhere on your roster, due to the salary cap.

“This is a puzzle,” Brown said. “It just doesn’t all fit perfectly. We’re going to have some pluses. We’re going to get some guys signed that are critical to the team. And we’re going to lose some guys.”

Fellow quarterback Kyler Murray recently received a $230 million extension with the Arizona Cardinals. That deal goes through 2028 and includes $105 million in guaranteed money. The Bengals will likely have to pay Burrow more than this, as the market resets itself.

How is Joe Burrow viewed by the rest of the NFL?

Joe Burrow is one of the NFL’s bright, young stars. The Bengals are clearly happy to have him long-term. The rest of the NFL, meanwhile, is dreading playing him for the foreseeable future. In particular, opponents love his toughness, which he showed off in a playoff win over the Tennessee Titans.

“I hate to compare anybody to Brady, but he might be the closest thing,” a veteran NFL offensive coach told ESPN. “What, did he take nine sacks in that playoff game [against Tennessee]? Didn’t flinch. Hung in there. He’s just got a toughness about him and the ability to think through a game.”