Joe Burrow is entering the final year of his rookie contract this offseason. Previous negotiations with the Cincinnati Bengals about a contract extension have not resulted in an agreement. His team therefore now played it safe.
The Bengals announced on Tuesday that they have exercised their option for Burrows’ fifth year of contract. The deadline to exercise these options for rookie contracts is May 2nd. The franchise apparently wanted certainty about the future of their signal caller ahead of the upcoming draft.
Incidentally, the decision to retain Burrow for another year for the time being is by no means intended to block the current talks about extending the contract. But on the contrary.
“This is a mechanical step in this journey and we will continue to work with Joe and his representatives to ensure his long-term future as a Bengal,” the NFL organization said in a statement.
NFL quarterback Joe Burrow resuscitated the Bengals
Experts also assume that the Bengals will soon sign a long-term contract for their starting quarterback. Given the trajectory the franchise has taken under Burrow’s leadership since 2020, those predictions shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone either.
After a messed up rookie season, the play caller turned things around and made it into the Super Bowl with his team in 2022, which was ultimately lost to the Los Angeles Rams. In the preseason, the Bengals once again kept their title dreams alive before bowing out in the AFC Championship Game.
These accomplishments are all the more remarkable given that Cincinnati had waited over 30 years to win the playoffs prior to Burrow’s arrival.
Given his vital importance to the Bengals, the QB is likely to sign a long-term deal in the coming weeks that will put him in the spheres of Jales Hurts. The Philadelphia Eagles quarterback earns $51 million a season after his extension – no other NFL professional collects more!