CINCINNATI — The moments following Cincinnati’s regular-season finale had been speculated to be a time to relish the Bengals’ first-ever back-to-back AFC North division titles.
However earlier than quarterback Joe Burrow smoked his celebratory cigar, he went out of his solution to reset standard information across the NFL.
When quarterbacks like Burrow are on rookie contracts, groups have the monetary flexibility to spend freely, earlier than an enormous quarterback deal causes vital constraints beneath the league’s wage cap which might often serve to restrict a franchise’s Tremendous Bowl window.
On at the present time, Burrow turned that concept on its head.
“The window’s my entire profession,” Burrow mentioned after the Week 18 win over the Baltimore Ravens. “Everyone that we’ve got in that locker room, all of the coaches we’ve got, issues are going to alter year-to-year, however our window is at all times open.”
Heading into their divisional playoff recreation on the Buffalo Bills on Sunday (3 p.m. ET, CBS), the defending AFC champs accomplish that with the assumption that so long as they’ve Burrow, deep runs within the playoffs would be the expectation, not the exception. Whereas that could be true, the standard of the roster round Burrow – who’s eligible for a top-of-the-market contract extension this season – may start to alter as quickly as this offseason, when star wideouts Tee Higgins (2023) and Ja’Marr Chase (2024), amongst others, can be up for brand spanking new offers. However nevertheless these selections shake out, with Burrow in tow, Cincy’s outlook seems vivid.
“This perceived ‘window,’ it’s at all times nice quarterbacks which might be part of [the Super Bowl], that win the entire thing,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor mentioned. “We all know we’ve acquired a terrific one. I agree with him. There’s going to be alternative right here so long as he’s right here.”
‘Yeah, he is totally different’
Cincinnati’s entrance workplace has been constant in its message that having a quarterback on a premium wage makes signing different high quality gamers a troublesome process.
“We’re attempting to prepare for our cap as we go down the road,” crew president Mike Brown mentioned on the crew’s media luncheon in July 2022. “We’re going to wish room for our quarterback, for our receivers and for another people who find themselves going to need to receives a commission on the high stage, too. It’s not straightforward to suit all these in.”
However what Cincinnati has seen from Burrow over the previous few years has given the crew confidence that he can elevate these round him to play at a championship stage.
When Chase and Higgins battled accidents this season, Burrow made the offense tick with the opposite choices. Trent Taylor and Trenton Irwin every made key catches that helped the Bengals maintain an eight-game profitable streak that lasted all the best way to the top of the common season.
The assumption in Burrow turned much more prevalent in final weekend’s wild-card playoff win over the Baltimore Ravens. Regardless of accidents to 3 of his beginning offensive linemen, Burrow – and Sam Hubbard – did sufficient to guide the Bengals in a 24-17 win over their AFC North rivals.
After the sport, vast receiver Tyler Boyd mentioned irrespective of who Burrow has round him, he’ll discover a solution to make them work successfully.
“And I’m not simply saying that as a result of he’s my quarterback, my teammate,” Boyd mentioned after the win. “However yeah, he’s totally different.”
Invoice coming due
After drafting Burrow No. 1 general in 2020, Cincinnati has retooled the roster round him.
The Bengals drafted high receivers (Higgins and Chase in 2020 and 2021, respectively), swapped out 4 starters on the offensive line after Burrow was sacked 70 occasions final season and continued investing closely within the protection — a course of they began earlier than Burrow’s arrival.
Although the wage cap is anticipated to proceed rising, there can be little aid for Cincinnati.
Chase, who has reached the Professional Bowl in each of his NFL seasons, can be eligible for a contract extension in 2024, one yr after Higgins.
They’re simply a few the names the entrance workplace must talk about. Linebacker Logan Wilson, who had a giant efficiency in final yr’s Tremendous Bowl loss, can be eligible for an extension. Free security Jessie Bates III performed this season on the franchise tag and can proceed searching for a profitable contract.
Others could need to depart to ensure that the Bengals to remain beneath the cap. For instance, if the Bengals lower vast receiver Tyler Boyd, Cincinnati will get $8.9 million in cap financial savings whereas incurring simply $1.4 million in lifeless cash.
“That’s the method of coping with your crew and placing collectively a roster,” Bengals director of participant personnel Duke Tobin mentioned on the crew’s media luncheon in 2022. “We finally are going to need to do what is true for us to get the most effective 53 guys attainable with the assets and wage cap we’ve got.”
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Why Ryan Clark likes Joe Burrow and the Bengals vs. the Payments
Ryan Clark breaks down why he is assured Joe Burrow will lead the Bengals to victory of their divisional spherical matchup vs. the Payments.
‘I would not commerce him for anybody on the earth’
When Burrow made his boast, it hinted at his assurance within the entrance workplace’s means to place good groups round him, and addressed his worth to the crew.
“I do know the fellows that we’ve got within the locker room,” Burrow mentioned. “Like I mentioned, it’s going to alter year-to-year, however I’d prefer to suppose that numerous guys in there can be round for a very long time. We’ve gained numerous soccer [games], performed numerous soccer collectively. We’ve acquired nice gamers in there.”
When Brown was just lately requested about Burrow’s looming extension, he pointed to Kansas Metropolis quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who’s the favourite to win his second MVP and a Tremendous Bowl and led the Chiefs to the previous 4 AFC title video games.
Though Mahomes’ accomplishments have surpassed these of each quarterback across the league over the identical span, Cincinnati believes Burrow’s worth is unmatched.
“He’s enjoying on the stage we’d like for him to guide us to be assured that we will go win each recreation we play,” Taylor mentioned after beating Kansas Metropolis in Week 13. “No matter these [MVP] conversations are like, there’s little doubt as I’ve mentioned earlier than, I would not commerce him for anybody on the earth.”
After Cincinnati beat Baltimore final weekend, Taylor talked about a play to explain his quarterback. On third-and-1 within the third quarter, Burrow lined up with what Taylor known as a “catastrophe” of a playcall. Burrow scrambled out of strain and rushed for a primary down earlier than later ending the drive with a QB sneak for a landing.
“If we don’t get that drive, who is aware of how the sport goes from there,” Taylor mentioned. “It’s a three-and-out and we’re punting.
“However he simply makes performs like that to will us to victory.”