Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is more than likely to be armed with a shiny new deal before too long. For now, though, he'll have to settle for a shiny new helmet.
Madden's No. 2 QB will be gunning for No. 1 this season in the Queen City, and in order to rise to the top, he'll need to minimize time missed with injuries as best he can.
That's where the NFL's new, safer helmet comes into play, which Burrow was modeling this week. In theory, this QB-specific helmet will protect him on plays where he's driven into the turf headfirst. Hopefully, it holds up at game speed as well as it does in practice, and can survive the frozen tundra of Kansas City (or Cincinnati!) in January.
Look at Joe Burrow sporting new, safer helmet at Bengals camp
Joe Burrow wearing the new QB-specific helmet aimed at reducing the effects of head-to-ground impact, which causes half of QB concussions.
— Jay Morrison (@ByJayMorrison) July 23, 2023
Photo by the Bengals' Ryan Meyer. Full gallery: https://t.co/kdSYmIOGc7 pic.twitter.com/Uya7lNuT17
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In addition to changing their gear (ever so slightly), the Bengals have reshuffled their roster a bit ahead of their first official week of practice.
Tight end Mitchell Wilcox has been brought back and placed on the PUP list in a procedural move. Wilcox will be a depth piece, once he's activated. For now, he'll join La'el Collins and Chidobe Awuzie on the sidelines.
The team's upcoming big-money negotiations won't be quite so easy, though. Hefty contracts loom for Joe Burrow, Tee Higgins and Logan Wilson this year, with Ja'Marr Chase's new pact only one year away. Will the Bengals extend guaranteed money to Higgins and Wilson in the wake of a Burrow deal, or will they hold firm? Will they take care of Chase a year ahead of time? How will they juggle this upcoming onslaught?
Hopefully, by keeping their stars in place, upright and happy, leading to another year of contention. Super Bowls answer a lot of questions about future financial commitments.