The pressure is on Cincinnati's front office this offseason. Star quarterback Joe Burrow has made it abundantly clear that he wants to see the organization buck its reputation for frugality and lock up key contributors like Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Trey Hendrickson on long-term deals.
If they are unable, or unwilling, to do so, they run the risk of drawing Burrow's ire -- or worse. In a recent article for Pro Football Talk, analyst Mike Florio warned the Bengals of what could happen if the Bengals don't demonstrate to Burrow that they're willing to do what it takes to win.
"That’s really the issue for the Bengals.," Florio write. "The cap can be handled. The cash must be available. Are the Bengals willing to placate Burrow by writing big checks to multiple teammates? Or will they drag their feet and pinch their pennies?
"If the Bengals choose the latter route, the clock could start ticking toward Burrow reaching the same conclusion that Carson Palmer once did."
Popular NFL analyst suggests that Joe Burrow could follow in Carson Palmer's footsteps in Cincinnati
In case you don't get the reference, Carson Palmer was Cincinnati's franchise quarterback in the early aughts. The Bengals selected him with the top overall pick in the NFL Draft, just like they did with Burrow, and he was named a two-two Pro Bowler as a member of the Bengals. But, he ultimately requested a trade away from the franchise because he began to feel like winning wasn't the organization's top priority.
The Bengals eventually granted Palmer's request, and he was traded to the Raiders. In 2019, he reflected on his trade request and provided this eye-opening quote:
More Cincinnati Bengals news: Joe Burrow wants the Bengals to operate more like the Eagles
"And I had gone to the organization and was like...we need a couple players here, a couple players there...and then of course the offseason comes, and nothing happens. Nothing changes. And it was year after year. In order to win in the NFL...you’ve got to be desperate to win a championship. You’ve got to be all in.
"The financials and the money side of it are very important obviously to owners, and to everybody that’s invested in the organization. But if the most important thing is the financials and the second-most important thing is winning, then you don’t have a chance. And it’s so important that ownership is willing to do what it takes to win."
That sounds like exactly what Burrow is going through right now with Cincinnati's front office. He knows the team needs to add -- or retain -- some key pieces in order to become a true contender, and he's putting public pressure on the organization to get it done. If they don't?
Well, popular pundit Colin Cowherd thinks that it's only a matter of time until Burrow asks to be moved. If he does, he obviously wouldn't be the first Bengals star quarterback ever to request a trade away from the team out of frustration.