Bengals to spend in free agency to build around QB Joe Burrow?

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback and 2020 first overall draft selection Joe Burrow was a Rookie of the Year candidate until he went down to a torn ACL and MCL on Nov. 22. That setback isn't deterring the Bengals from moving forward with the 24-year-old cemented as their cornerstone asset.

"I think we have one of the premier, best young quarterbacks in the game, and we're going to do everything we can to build around him," Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin said on Monday, as Nick Shook noted for the NFL's official website. "It's going to start with him." 

According to Shook, the Bengals have roughly $40.9 million available in salary-cap space at a time when the cap is likely to decrease from a year ago because of financial challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Tobin suggested that money will be spent on additional weapons and protection for Burrow. 

"We have been a top-half-of-the-league spending team," Tobin added. "We are going to spend on players. ... We have flexibility, which is a good position to be in."

Last month, Pro Football Focus linked the Bengals with Los Angeles Rams tight end Gerald Everett and one-time NFL Most Valuable Player Cam Newton, who could serve as Burrow's backup. Newton said he wants to start next fall but also seems to understand he may have to accept a lesser role to remain an active player.