The Cincinnati Bengal have picked up the fifth-year option for Joe Burrow

Cincinnati Bengals pick up fifth-year option on Joe Burrow

The Cincinnati Bengals have picked up the fifth-year option for quarterback Joe Burrow, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Monday. The former No. 1 overall pick is now locked up with the team through the 2024 season.

The move was expected, and the focus now shifts to Burrow and the Bengals working out a long-term deal. Head coach Zac Taylor acknowledged at the annual league meeting last month that negotiations between the Bengals and Burrow’s representation have already started.

The team also made clear Tuesday that they hope to reach an agreement with Burrow beyond 2024.

“This is a mechanical step along the way and we will continue to work with Joe and his representatives to secure his long-term future as a Bengal,” the team said in a statement.

Burrow has led Cincinnati to an AFC Championship appearance each of the past two seasons and a Super Bowl appearance in 2022. He finished fourth in the MVP voting this past season after throwing for 4,475 yards, 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions and capped it off by playing in the first Pro Bowl of his career.

Burrow joins his former LSU teammate Justin Jefferson, who had his fifth-year option picked up by the Vikings on Tuesday. Cowboys receiver CeeDee Lamb and Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa also had their options exercised.

Teams have until May 2 to exercise the option on 2020 first-rounders.

According to Spotrac, Burrow will make $11.5 million next season. That will more than double to $29.5 million in the final season of his contract.

Bengals brass provides telling update on Joe Burrow contract situation

Joe Burrow is on the verge of a gaudy new deal complete with guarantees and lots of zeros. At the end of March, Bengals management confirmed they’ve started talking to their star quarterback about a new contract.

Reporters asked coach Zac Taylor about negotiations with Joe Burrow as team executives gathered in Phoenix for the annual NFL owners meeting.

“I know that they’ve started and we’ll see where they go,” Taylor told the media. “I don’t know what the timeline is gonna be, but not my job, fortunately.”

It is Katie Blackburn’s job to get things done with Joe Burrow. She’s the Bengals’ executive vice president. She didn’t have much to say in the way of an update this week at the owner’s meetings.

“The negotiations will happen primarily through his agent,” Blackburn told reporters. “But Joe, obviously, at the end of the day, it’s what Joe wants. And so I think Joe’s got to be happy, and we’ve got to be happy. And hopefully, we can be happy together.”

No doubt the Bengals also will be working up extensions for two of their talented receivers in Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. But Joe Burrow, at the moment, is the priority.

Outsider’s Suzanne Halliburton contributed to this report.

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