-
Ben Baby
CINCINNATI — For the first time this offseason, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow divulged key details in a contract restructure that could help the franchise sign key players to long-term deals.
In an extended interview with the “Pardon My Take” podcast released Wednesday, Burrow was asked to describe how his five-year, $275 million contract extension signed in 2023 could be altered and help give the Bengals extra salary cap flexibility to ink wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to the lucrative extensions they’re seeking.
“You could convert some of the money to a signing bonus, which will lower the cap hit,” Burrow said. “You can push some of the money to the back end of the contract. That lowers the cap hit. And then when you get to the back end of the contract, you can restructure it and convert it to a signing bonus. You can also just take less money.”
Later in the interview, Burrow pointed out that most players just convert the money into a signing bonus, a method he said he was willing to pursue.
Burrow’s recent media tour at Super Bowl LIX featured several of his thoughts about how Cincinnati should approach a very important offseason. Higgins was limited by injuries but is projected to be the No. 1 free agent if he hits the open market, according to ESPN. Chase is coming off a historic triple crown season and was a finalist for Offensive Player of the Year. Defensive end Trey Hendrickson also wants a new deal after he led the league in sacks and was a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year.
Burrow’s contract is the one the Bengals have to work around because it occupies the most cap space. According to Roster Management System, Burrow is projected to have a $46.3 million cap hit in 2025. The Bengals are also projected to have $45.9 million in cap space. But that is before any money gained by shedding veteran contracts or costs incurred for signing the necessary players to start a season in addition to an incoming draft class.
Burrow also referenced the Philadelphia Eagles, the newly crowned Super Bowl champions who have been able to sign multiple players to veteran deals despite also giving quarterback Jalen Hurts a contract extension that puts him among the league’s highest-paid players.
The Cincinnati quarterback praised the way Philadelphia treated the salary cap to build a championship-caliber team. “The Eagles are paying everybody,” Burrow said. “That seems like the way. Whatever they’re doing.”
The fifth-year quarterback and two-time MVP finalist noted that the salary cap should increase in future years. Last season, the league had a cap of $255.4 million, citing an increase of $30 million per team because of media revenue and a full repayment of deferred money during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This post was originally published on this site