Joe Burrow contract: Projecting what an extension might look like

With the Cincinnati Bengals' 2023 offseason underway, a major talking point surrounding the team this offseason has been Joe Burrow's pending extension and what it might look like. It's a no-brainer that the Bengals will extend Burrow after what he's accomplished early in his NFL career.

Since Burrow joined the Bengals in 2020, the team has been to two AFC title games and one Super Bowl. He's a franchise-changing player and the Bengals will not hesitate to make sure he's a member of this organization for the foreseeable future.

Zac Taylor even said shortly after the Bengals' loss in the AFC Championship Game that extending Burrow was a priority for the organization. We all knew that was the case but Taylor made it public knowledge.

What kind of contract can we expect Burrow to earn this offseason though? Will it be in the ballpark of what Patrick Mahomes earned from the Chiefs during the 2019 offseason (10 years worth $450 million)? What about what Josh Allen received from the Bills during the 2020 offseason (six years, $258 million)?

What will a Joe Burrow contract extension look like?

Andre Perrotta is a salary cap expert and crunched the numbers for a potential Burrow extension. He projected that the Bengals quarterback would receive an eight-year deal worth $408 million, earning an average of $51 million annually.

This seems like a pretty good deal for the Bengals if this was what ended up happening. Burrow would get paid like a franchise signal-caller but it would still give the team the freedom to make key additions down the road.

The Bengals also still have the luxury of Burrow being on his rookie deal for two more years before this deal were to kick in. That means they have the flexibility to still add key talent and get the most out of Joey Franchise before his new contract hits in 2025.

Even when that new contract takes over, it won't be impossible to remain a contender. Just look at what Mahomes and the Chiefs accomplished this past year -- They won a freaking Super Bowl despite Mahomes being in the first year of his 10-year contract. It's absolutely possible to still win when the quarterback is getting paid handsomely.

Having an elite quarterback is everything in the NFL and the Bengals are fortunate to have one but this is one of the not-so-great parts of having that elite signal-caller. Burrow is going to account for a major portion of the cap each year but it'll be worth it when the team is a contender every year.

Contracts courtesy of Spotrac