Joe Burrow says Bengals contract extension in works, he's directly involved in talks

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Joe Burrow has made no secret of his desire to be the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback for many years to come, and he revealed recently that another step is being taken towards making that a reality.

Burrow confirmed that talks centered around a contract extension have begun between his camp and the Bengals, and that Burrow himself is directly involved in the talks.

The Bengals have experienced a revitalization since selecting Burrow No. 1 overall in the 2020 NFL Draft, making back-to-back AFC Championship Game appearances and reaching the Super Bowl after the 2021 season. That is thanks in large part not just to Burrow living up to the hype around his potential but also the contributions of several other talented young players, including wide receivers Tee Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase.

Higgins is also currently eligible for a new contract extension, while Chase will become eligible for one next offseason.

Burrow said he's mindful of that fact during his own contract negotiations.

Burrow is expected to land a contract at the very top of what NFL quarterbacks have been making recently. The 2023 NFL offseason has seen Jalen Hurts set the record for richest contract by annual salary in league history with a five-year, $255 million extension from the Eagles, only for Lamar Jackson and the Ravens to break it four days later with a five-year, $260 million deal.

The Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes are also reportedly expected to rework the 10-year, $450 million contract the two-time NFL MVP signed in 2020 to increase Mahomes' compensation on a per-year basis.

The 26-year-old Burrow has established himself as one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL over his first three seasons in the league. After suffering a torn ACL midway through his rookie year, Burrow bounced back to lead the NFL in completion percentage in 2021, winning Comeback Player of the Year and leading Cincinnati to its first Super Bowl appearance in 31 years. He was named to his first Pro Bowl in 2022, also receiving MVP votes.

Burrow has 11,774 passing yards, 82 touchdowns and 31 interceptions in his NFL career thus far.