Are the Cincinnati Bengals actually paying attention to trade offers for superstar quarterback Joe Burrow? Hard to know what goes on in the brains of the Bengals' brass for sure, but at least one suitor is aggressively in pursuit of Joe Shiesty this offseason.
As if there wasn't enough drama and tension around Cincinnati after three straight misses at the playoffs, where Burrow is relegated to tweeting about catch rules from his couch, this latest buzz doesn't help matters. In fact, it's straight-up bad vibes.
We have two separate reports of Burrow-to-Vikings scuttlebutt to sift through. Let's get to it.
Vikings are allegedly repaired to sell farm to Bengals in Joe Burrow trade package
Grant Cohn of SI.com, who predominantly covers the San Francisco 49ers, posted a video in reference to the Niners' hopes of trading for superstar Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson. Cohn indicated there's no chance of that happening, but had this to say about Minnesota's apparent desire to acquire Burrow:
"They're not rebuilding. They want to get right back into contention. They're planning to offer J.J. McCarthy, Jonathan Greenard, and two firsts to the Cincinnati Bengals for Joe Burrow."
The Vikings will not trade Justin Jefferson to the 49ers. pic.twitter.com/4ZLssRiZKp
— Grant Cohn (@grantcohn) January 23, 2026
OK. One report. Whatever. Could just be smoke.
But then Walter Football chimed in, indicating that the Bengals actually picked up the phone when the Vikings called. Cincinnati wanted three first-round picks, McCarthy, and one of three defensive players in the exchange. Either Jonathan Allen,
More details on the Vikings reaching out to the Bengals to trade for Joe Burrow https://t.co/wXJJWxFVF3
— WalterFootball (@walterfootball) January 24, 2026
Walter Football isn't really in the "breaking news" business, but that site uses intel from years-long sources to produce some of the most accurate mock drafts around. They're routinely near the top pretty much every single year.
To come out with a story like this could be mere clout-chasing. Then again, why make this up? It feels too big and splashy to stake one's reputation on without anything to stand on.
Would it stun me if the Bengals actually listened to a Joe Burrow trade proposal? Not in the slightest.
This is still a cheap organization, plagued by conservatism, and the idea of rebooting the roster on a rookie QB contract, three young first-round draft assets, and a defensive veteran probably appeals to Mike Brown and those in his ownership orbit.
Do I personally want it to happen? No way. Nor do fans. The more realistic scenario for a Burrow trade is if Cincinnati misses the postseason again in 2026. At that point, I can't imagine Joe would want to stick with the team. And why would he?
The bottom-line veracity of these Joe Burrow trade rumors is less important or worth focusing on than the timing. Per OverTheCap.com, trading Burrow prior to June 1 would result in a net negative $8 million in 2026 cap space for Cincinnati. That's another huge reason why 2027 feels way more feasible.
Roast me for giving oxygen to these Vikings-Burrow reports if you want to. Like it or not, the Joe Burrow trade talking point ain't going away any time soon till the actual games start and a healthy Joe Brrr starts winning a lot of 'em.