Following arguably the most aggressive offseason in Cincinnati Bengals history, some have expected the Bengals to explore the possibility of restructuring contracts for Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, or Tee Higgins. Restructuring is a common practice for NFL teams to essentially convert a player’s salary into a bonus, thus clearing up salary cap space.
With questions on the Bengals’ roster at linebacker, slot corner, and potentially swing tackle, some have wondered if the Bengals would follow the trend
of restructuring their franchise quarterback to address those areas. With the Bengals breaking away from so many of their norms in recent years, Duke Tobin made it sound like a possibility.
According to WLWT’s Charlie Clifford, there have been no discussions between the Bengals and Burrow about a restructure ahead of the 2026 season.
If the Bengals don’t restructure Burrow ahead of the season, they are likely done signing significant players from outside of the organization. Perhaps the right person becomes available, and they do decide to pull the trigger, Burrow would likely be open to a restructure. As of now, it doesn’t appear that anything is imminent.
A restructure for 2026 isn’t on the horizon, but a restructure in 2027 could be on the table.
