Joe Burrow taking Tom Brady approach in contract talks with Bengals

Joe Burrow's rise to becoming one of the best up-and-coming quarterbacks in the NFL has been well-documented, often talked about, and rightfully praised by fans and analysts alike. The 26-year-old quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals has put together an impressive resume in a short time, and now it's time for him to discuss a contract extension.

As NFL.com reported, Burrow is taking a hands-on approach to his contract negotiations, stating that he's "involved" but that he and the team "prefer to keep it between us," in terms of where things currently stand.

"I'm involved. That's in the works," Burrow told reporters on Tuesday. "That's not really something that I like to play out in the media. Just the way I think they want to do business, I want to do business, we prefer to keep that between us."

One statement that Burrow made about the negotiations stood out above the rest. He was quick to point out that his negotiations include what he believes is best for both himself and the team.

"I'm pretty clear on what I want in the contract and what I think is best for myself and the team. So we're on the road to making that happen." Burrow stated.

That's an important statement from Burrow and one that points to a potential Tom Brady-esque approach to contract negotiations. It's apparent that he's well aware of the importance of allowing other players on the team to get paid, but whether or not that will be apparent in his contract extension remains to be seen.

Burrow, who won the 2021 NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award and made the Pro Bowl in 2022, has posted a career 24-17-1 record. He's completed 68.2 percent of his passes for 11,774 yards, 82 touchdowns and 31 interceptions in three seasons. He led the Bengals to their first Super Bowl appearance since 1988 in 2021, a game they lost 23-20 to the Los Angeles Rams. The Bengals returned to the AFC Championship Game in 2022 but fell to the Kansas City Chiefs 23-20.

There's little to no argument that Burrow doesn't deserve to be paid like one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL, but both the structure and outlook of his potential extension will be something to monitor.