The Cincinnati Bengals face the big-ticket item of the offseason in extending Joe Burrow with a sense of urgency.
Urgency, meaning wanting to get it done fast, but certainly not panic.
Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com recently spoke with agent Leigh Steinberg, author of plenty of historic deals in his own right, and the net result is a positive for fans worried about this topic.
Steinberg says there’s little reason to panic over the extension talks unfolding this offseason.
“Honestly, this appears to be a very happy marriage,” Steinberg said. “I don’t think this is going to be a difficult contract. It may be complex, but not difficult. I’d imagine you won’t hear anything about it until it’s done.”
Steinberg actually goes as far as to classify most quarterback contract extensions as the easiest contracts to do because there’s an agreed-upon market value, which lets the parties work on things behind the scenes.
Things are a little more complex for say, the Baltimore Ravens and Lamar Jackson right now, thanks to the Cleveland Browns and Deshaun Watson.
But Cincinnati? Ja’Marr Chase has already hinted Burrow might do a deal in a manner that lets the Bengals keep the weapons around him. That’s always been the general vibe, too — Burrow will likely become the NFL’s highest-paid passer, but the structure will be such (rolling guarantees like Mahomes in Kansas City, perhaps) that the team still keeps cap space wide open to pay others.
