Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow returned to the practice field more than a week before the season opener against the Cleveland Browns. Not only is Burrow expected to play in Week 1, but he reportedly could take the field as one of the highest-paid NFL players ever.
Burrow, who is entering the fourth year of his rookie contract, suffered a calf injury early in training camp. The initial injury caused fears that he could miss Cincinnati’s regular-season opener, but there’s increased confidence he’ll be cleared to start in Week 1.
- Joe Burrow stats (2022): 100.8 QB rating, 35-12 TD-INT, 68.3% completion rate, 4,475 passing yards, 5.8% touchdown rate, 12-4 record, 279.7 pass ypg
Related: NFL insider guarantees record-breaking contract for Joe Burrow
While Burrow’s absence from training camp has impacted the offense’s ability to work on things and interrupted building more continuity, it hasn’t stopped contract negotiations. In the weeks since the Los Angeles Chargers made Justin Herbert the highest-paid NFL quarterback, Burrow, and the Bengals have been negotiating a multi-year extension.
Cincinnati doesn’t necessarily have to rush into a deal. Burrow is under contract for the 2023 season and the franchise already exercised his 2024 fifth-year option, valued at $29.504 million fully guaranteed. Even after that, the team could use franchise tags in 2025 and ’26 to keep the Pro Bowl quarterback. However, it appears a deal could be imminent.
On the latest You Pod to Win the Game podcast, Yahoo Sports’ senior NFL insider Charles Robinson shared that he would be shocked if the Bengals don’t sign Burrow to a contract extension before they take the field in Week 1.
“I will be shocked if he takes the field in the regular season without a contract extension…I think between now and the season opener, there’s no question.”
Charles Robinson on when a Joe Burrow contract extension will happen
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While Herbert signing his contract takes some of the pressure off the Bengals to extend Burrow now, there’s another reason to do it. Cincinnati wants long-term clarity on its cap space, knowing approximately how much money it will have in future years to pay wide receivers Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase.
NFL revenue is also skyrocketing, with the salaries for a majority of positions following suit. Whereas a $40 million per year salary used to be the mark that the best quarterbacks targeted, that has now climbed north of a %0 million average annual value.
- Joe Burrow contract:Â $11.5 million cap hit (2023), $29.5 million salary in 2024
The sooner Cincinnati signs Burrow, the sooner he’ll be locked into a contract for five-plus years that ensures he’ll be the Bengals’ quarterback through his prime years. Once that happens, the Bengals can turn their focus to extending Higgins before opening up contract talks with Chase in 2024.