Insider details biggest concern for Joe Burrow's Bengals as QB's contract 'hangs in the balance' - "The clock is ticking"

As the date when Joe Burrow becomes a free agent looms, an insider has concerns about the Cincinnati Bengals' willingness to further pay for his talents.

On Monday, Paul Dehner Jr., the Bengals' lead reporter for The Athletic, wrote about this in an article detailing every NFL team's one issue heading into the preseason, which occurs this summer.

He said that the Bengals had to sort out their other players' contracts before addressing their franchise quarterback:

"The expected Joe Burrow extension hangs in the balance as the top priority. Once the Bengals can put those organization-altering numbers in the balance sheet they can start the rest of the unfinished financial business.

"Will Tee Higgins get an extension? Logan Wilson? What becomes of Joe Mixon’s non-guaranteed $12.8 million cap number?"

Regarding Burrow's situation, he said:

The Bengals’ biggest business items have been waiting for the franchise QB contract to put the moves in motion. They’d like to minimize how many moves leak deep into camp and traditionally wrap extension and cut matters by the opener.

"They’ve done well avoiding off-field distractions recently, but these would qualify if they drag toward September. The clock is ticking."

The Bengals exercised Burrow's fifth-year option in March, but beyond 2024, he is unsigned. Unless he massively regresses in 2023, however, he should deserve a major extension.

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What kind of extension could Joe Burrow receive by 2024?

For a comparison of what Joe Burrow could be paid if the Cincinnati Bengals re-sign him, here are the biggest quarterback contracts in the NFL currently:

	Player	Year Signed	Total Amount (in millions)	Duration (in years)	Average Annual Amount (in millions)
1	Patrick Mahomes	2020	$450	10	$45
2	Lamar Jackson	2023	$260	5	$52
3	Josh Allen	2021	$258	6	$43
4	Jalen Hurts	2023	$255	5	$51
5	Russell Wilson	2022	$245	5	$49

Looking at the table contracts, Patrick Mahomes is the most lucrative player in the NFL, with no one else reaching even $300 million - a testament to the kind of reward an elite quarterback receives.

However, assuming Burrow manages to bring the Bengals to the Super Bowl and even wins it, it is not hard to assume that he could receive a huge extension of his own, potentially somewhere in the $300-$400 million range.

The 2021 Comeback Player of the Year addressed his contract situation in a post-practice media availability in May:

"That's not really something that I like to play out in the media. Just the way I think they want to do business, I want to do business, we prefer to keep that between us.

"I'm pretty clear on what I want in the contract and what I think is best for myself and the team. So we're on the road to making that happen."