Will Joe Burrow remain sidelined until he signs an extension?
Cincinnati Bengals star quarterback Joe Burrow was carted off the field on Thursday after what appeared to be a non-contact injury. It was confirmed to be a strained calf that took the quarterback down, but the good news for Bengals fans is it seems as if the injury isn't anything too serious.
In fact, the Bengals' Twitter account wants fans to stop offering up their calf muscles because Burrow is expected to be just fine.
It sounds like Burrow will be back soon, and that's great news for Cincinnati. Interestingly enough, though, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter thinks the star quarterback's eventual return will come down to more than just how his calf is feeling. Burrow has just two more seasons left on his rookie deal, and with fellow 2020 quarterback Justin Herbert just inking an extension on his rookie deal worth five years and $262.5 million (with $218.7 guaranteed), Burrow may not return to the field until his future is lucratively locked up.
"One day before [the injury], Justin Herbert signed the richest contract in NFL history and Joe Burrow is tracking to beat that contact," Schefter said on ESPN's "Get Up" program. "Joe Burrow's agent already has kept Nick Bosa out of the 49ers camp...he didn't even report until he has a new contact. So, considering the injury, considering his contractual situation, there's a real chance that we will not see Joe Burrow back on the practice field again until he has a new contract that makes him the highest-paid player in NFL history.
If this was just an injury scare for Burrow, which it sounds like that's all it was, locking up a long-term deal really is the responsible thing for Burrow's agent to do.
Remember, for as good as Burrow is, he does have a bit of an injury history. He suffered an ACL and MCL tear during his rookie season that cost him six games. He also suffered an MCL sprain during Cincinnati's Super Bowl LVI loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
"I think you have to consider the injury and consider his contractual situation," Schefter explained. "My sense would be that his agent is going to say, 'Joe we're not going to let you step back onto that football field until you have that new contract in your hand.'"
Per Spotrac, Burrow's current market value could earn him somewhere around six years and $322 million on a new contract.
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