It’s, perhaps, the second biggest elephant in the room behind rebuilding the defense. Are the Cincinnati Bengals going to restructure Joe Burrow’s contract?
From the moment Burrow signed his contract extension, that’s been the topic of conversation: Would Burrow’s extension still enable the Bengals to attack free agency with the same fervor they did in 2021, 2022, and 2023?
The Bengals have had an active offseason. Heck, they’ve had a very good offseason in terms of rebuilding the defense. On paper,
there are, theoretically, four new starters on defense. That’s being proactive in owning up to how atrocious the defense was in 2025 and in the two seasons prior to that.
Cincinnati has spent money this offseason, a lot of money, in fact. So, how does that impact the Bengals’ ability to potentially restructure Joe Burrow’s contract?
“Those are things that we’re working through after the draft,” Tobin said of a potential restructure. “We’ve layered in challenges, but we’re up to them, and we do it because we have the opportunity to add the right people and the right players.
“Those are challenges that the locker room isn’t interested in. They’re interested in having the best team possible, and that’s what we’re trying to give them: The best team possible.”
Look, from hearing Duke Tobin speak many times, I’ve come to know that he is transparent but not too revealing. That applies here. Tobin is being honest, but I feel like there’s still no clear answer as to whether Burrow’s contract will be restructured.
Tobin has previously said restructuring Burrow’s deal “isn’t off the table.”
Every team has financial challenges. There’s a price to pay for winning. The best teams figure out how to manage their finances after paying big and making big splashes. That’s what leads to sustained success.
Time will tell if the Bengals do restructure Burrow’s contract. Doing so could allow them to sign Chase Brown, DJ Turner, and Dax Hill to contract extensions.
