Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is often on the receiving end of praise for his role in getting the franchise to pay up for Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
But the outlook isn’t always so rosy on that front despite the stark modernizations the Bengals have undergone since the Burrow era began.
One notable recent example is ESPN’s Andrew Hawkins pointing out the impact Burrow’s contract has on proceedings.
“I think everyone’s had a hand in it. When you look at Joe Burrow, a top-five quarterback, there’s going to be holes in your team whenever you’re getting paid what you’re getting paid,” Hawkins said on “First Take.”
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It’s a fair enough critique, even if Burrow has responded positively to questions about whether he’d adjust his contract to help the team sign players like Trey Hendrickson.
But the big hangup right now of note is Hendrickson. Burrow redoing his deal might not accomplish much there. The Bengals have the necessary money to make something happen. The divide is more of a strategic one, with the team balking at paying up huge for the number of years Hendrickson wants, given his age.
There’s no question the Bengals have chosen to balance the books around Burrow and his wants, which any reasonable franchise would do. And there’s also zero question he understands this and has already placed this pressure on himself, given all fans know about him already.
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