Bengals would need historic haul to trade Joe Burrow, NFL executive says

For a third consecutive season, the Cincinnati Bengals will be on the outside looking in when the NFL playoffs kick off.

Joe Burrow’s future with the team has been a topic of conversation as the Bengals come to terms with the reality of another season not going as planned. 

The star quarterback recently made comments that seemingly fueled speculation about his status with the franchise that selected him first overall six seasons ago. He hinted that enjoying the game was a priority, saying he wanted to “go have fun [and] play football.”

Amid the speculation, NFL Insider Jonathan Jones reported that multiple teams could pursue Burrow this offseason. While it remains unlikely Cincinnati will deal the 29-year-old, any team that does inquire about Burrow should be prepared to meet a hefty asking price.

An unnamed executive for an AFC team told CBS Sports it would take a historic haul of draft picks, mentioning “Ricky Williams-type trade” compensation for the Bengals to consider an immediate future without Burrow. It took every pick, a total of six selections, for the New Orleans Saints to get into position to draft Williams in 1999. New Orleans also sent a first-round pick and a third-rounder to Washington.

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Another executive suggested a couple of first-round draft picks as starting point in negotiations.

“Probably depends on if a team has a young QB or players to offer, but imagine they won’t even answer the phone if you don’t have at least two first-round picks, plus more,” an NFC front office executive told the outlet. “Maybe even three if you’re not doing it with any players involved.”

Last week, Burrow attempted to ease concerns about his future in Cincinnati.

“I can’t see that. No.” he responded when asked whether he could picture himself in another NFL team’s uniform in 2026. However, a follow-up question about suiting up for another franchise at some point later in his career prompted a vague response from the star signal-caller.

“You think about a lot of things,” he said. 

Burrow and the Bengals reached an agreement on a long-term contract worth $275 million in 2023. The deal made him one of the highest-paid players in NFL history. The contract also included a no-trade clause valid through 2029.

The Bengals host the Arizona Cardinals Sunday before closing out the season in Cleveland against the Browns in Week 18.

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