With NFL players in Phoenix for the media extravaganza that is Super Bowl week, we’ve got some interesting information that has come from it. On Wednesday, Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase commented on Joe Burrow’s impending contract extension with Cincinnati.
Chase told Andrew Siciliano and the NFL Network crew, “at the end of the day, I don’t think Joe’s too worried about how much money he’s going to make.” Chase said Burrow is already making a “tremendous” amount of money and wants to keep his weapons around him.
I’m sure that’s partly true. Burrow probably does want to keep some of his weapons around him. And Chase is perhaps at the top of that list. Still, I wouldn’t take Chase’s comments as any indicator that Burrow will take a sweetheart deal from the Bengals.
Burrow is in line for an extension this offseason. The Bengals plan on getting it done, and I’ve been saying for some time that it will get done this offseason. Cincinnati is looking to get the deal done and then figure out everything else around it. Can you blame them? Burrow is the best quarterback, not named Patrick Mahomes. He’s taken the Bengals to back-to-back AFC title games and a Super Bowl. Oh, and Cincinnati has won back-to-back AFC North titles. All of this coming in Burrow’s first two full seasons as a starter.
Still, Burrow isn’t going to come cheap, even if he wants to keep his weapons around him. If I had to take a guess, Burrow is getting (at least) six years and a substantial amount of guaranteed money. The Bengals have prepared for it and have an escrow account with the money from the stadium naming right deal and many other sponsorship deals. That money is all earmarked for guaranteed dollars in Burrow’s extension.
Sam Howell will be the starting quarterback for the Washington Commanders next season. According to Ron Rivera in an interview with Pro Football Talk on Wednesday. Rivera said he would get the first crack at the starting job despite only starting one game in Washington.
“The biggest thing we decided is he will start out as QB1,” Rivera said of Howell. “He will most certainly get the first opportunity. We go into OTAs and minicamp, he’ll be QB1. He’ll fight for that position. We’ll give him every opportunity to earn it, and we’ll see what happens when we get into training camp and through it.”
However, Rivera said the Commanders will bring in a veteran quarterback this offseason. Washington is looking for a veteran to come in and compete with Howell. But they’re not looking to spend a bunch on it.
“I think the biggest thing is we have to find a guy to come in that’s going to compete, but in terms of finding a guy you’re going to have to spend a lot of capital on, no. We’re not looking for a guy we’ve got to spend a lot of capital on. We’re looking for a guy that’s going to come in and compete first and foremost.”
So, Howell is QB1 in Washington next season. But Washington will look to add a cheap veteran behind him. Think guys like Andy Dalton, Teddy Bridgewater, and Jacoby Brissett here.
Ian Rapoport says that the plan for Brock Purdy is to have surgery later this month. As of now, a repair of the UCL (not full-on Tommy John) is in order. The recovery time is about six months, which will have Purdy ready for training camp.
Speaking of Purdy and the 49ers QB situation in 2023, I discussed that a bit in this week’s Extra Points column:
As I wrote in this week’s Extra Points, no one seems to want to coach Kyler Murray. And so, the Cardinals’ head coaching search rolls on. According to Adam Schefter, it will run through the remainder of the Super Bowl weekend.
So, does that mean the Cardinals are zeroing in on one of the Super Bowl coordinators? Eagles’ defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon was an early favorite in Arizona. But he recently said he would stay in Philadelphia for another year. Has he changed his mind? Or are the Cardinals interested in one of the offensive coordinators?
Eagles’ OC Shane Steichen and Chiefs’ OC Eric Bienemy are both realistic candidates who have succeeded with mobile quarterbacks. So, maybe the Cardinals can get more from Murray by going that route.
Either way, a decision on the Cardinals’ head coaching job won’t be coming this week. I would have to imagine that the same goes for the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts were working through a third round of interviews last we heard late last week.
This seems like sound advice for the Bears from Michael Vick:
Oh, and the NBA went bonkers last night! Kevin Durant was traded to the Suns in the middle of the night:
Today is the NBA trade deadline, so it’s probably a good time to remind you to follow the action at BN Bulls if you’re not already.
NEWSLETTER
