Bengals owner mum on Joe Burrow extension, says deal’s impact to salary cap is ‘accounted for’

Cincinnati Bengals gamers, together with star quarterback Joe Burrow, reported to coaching camp this week. Burrow has risen to stardom over his first three seasons within the NFL, receiving Professional Bowl honors for his manufacturing in 2022. 

Burrow is ready to play on the fourth yr of his rookie contract for the upcoming season, and earlier this offseason the staff picked up the sign caller’s fifth-year option for the 2024 season. The staff mentioned the choice to train the choice was merely a “mechanical step” and the group vowed to “proceed to work with Joe and his representatives to safe his long-term future as a Bengal.”

This week, Bengals proprietor Mike Brown argued that sharing particulars concerning the ongoing negotiations does a disservice to the method.

“I’ve certain myself to not speak about Joe’s contract,” Brown advised reporters a day earlier than camp opens. “They don’t suppose it’s useful for the negotiations. The opposite facet has made the identical dedication, and so they haven’t damaged it.”

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Stellar performances from Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow have contributed to his fast rise to stardom over his first three seasons within the NFL. (Andy Lyons/Getty Photos)

Justin Herbert, who was drafted the identical yr as Burrow, reportedly agreed to a five-year, $262.5 million extension on Tuesday. The deal additionally consists of ensures.

Any new deal for Burrow, the No. 1 general choose within the 2020 draft out of LSU, is predicted to make him one of many highest paid gamers in the NFL. Burrow will doubtless ink a deal that pays him $50 million or extra per season.

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However, Brown mentioned he isn’t alarmed that talks have run into the beginning of coaching camp.

“I’m not shocked that this factor is the place it’s,” the 87-year-old proprietor mentioned. “It’s solely pure that they need to get what they’ll get, the most effective that they’ll get.”

Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow is predicted to signal a contract that will pay him not less than $50 million per season. (AP Picture/Seth Wenig)

The 26-year-old Burrow led the Bengals to a Tremendous Bowl after the 2021 season – ending in a 23-20 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

Final season, Cincinnati completed 12-4, profitable the AFC North for the second straight yr, with Burrow setting franchise single-season information for completions, move makes an attempt and passing touchdowns.

Throughout summer season exercises, Burrow demurred when reporters inquired about his contract state of affairs. He did say his targets are to win a Tremendous Bowl in Cincinnati and change the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes because the “finest on the planet.”

Brown mentioned a yr in the past that the staff had begun restructuring funds as a way to safe a long-term cope with Burrow. The Bengals cleared extra wage cap area when running back Joe Mixon accepted a restructured deal and pay reduce this month to stick with the Bengals.

Different issues are on maintain till Burrow’s deal is completed, together with a contract for receiver Tee Higgins, who is also eligible for an extension. Since Higgins was not chosen within the first spherical, Cincinnati will not be in a position to provide him the fifth-year possibility.

Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow set franchise single-season information for completions, move makes an attempt and passing touchdowns through the 2022 season. (AP Picture/Aaron Doster)

In the meantime, star receiver Ja’Marr Chase shall be eligible for an extension after this season. Higgins and Chase doubtless command salaries that will put them among the many highest-paid receivers within the league.

Nonetheless, Burrow admitted that he’s contemplating his different teammates throughout his contract discussions — specifically Chase and Higgins.

“Every time you have got guys on the staff that should be paid, that’s all the time in your thoughts. You need that to be a focus. So, we’re working to make that occur.” Burrow mentioned in Might when he spoke concerning the ongoing contract negotiations.

L-R Ja’Marr Chase #1, Joe Burrow #9 and Tee Higgins #85 of the Cincinnati Bengals sit within the entrance for the Cincinnati Bengals staff photograph at UCLA’s Drake Stadium. (Picture by Ronald Martinez/Getty Photos)

Brown mentioned the staff has budgeted for Burrow’s new deal. 

“I don’t know the way these items are going to suit simply but,” Brown mentioned this week. “We’ve a reasonably good concept of how a lot we now have to spend and the way it’s accounted for within the cap. And we don’t know the place these different offers will find yourself. However we all know we shall be pressed to suit all of them in.”

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Coach Zac Taylor would not anticipate any distractions because the Bengals put together for the primary preseason recreation on Aug. 11.

“That is been the wonder to this point, (that) the time that I have been right here the gamers have achieved an incredible job going about their enterprise and being a part of the staff, dealing with that (contract) stuff individually,” Taylor mentioned. “And we simply put our head down and bought again to work.”

The Related Press contributed to this report.