dex

If the Burrow contract terms were a huge point of contention here, I don't think the Bengals sign Logan Wilson first. Wilson is an excellent player, but in the priority pecking order nothing has changed since the 2020 draft when Burrow went in the 1st, Higgins in the 2nd, Wilson in the third. Maybe it will all come out when Burrow finally signs, but I feel like a basic maximum deal for Burrow is already basically in place. Maybe each time the Bengals extend a key player - like Hendrickson/Wilson/Higgins - that is just a little less that Burrow will get in his own deal when he finally signs on the dotted line. Even though the Bengals front office and Burrow's camp have a deal not to talk about his contract talks in the media, Joe has been the one to bend that rule more than once. Earlier in the summer Burrow admitted that he was very involved in the talks rather than letting his agent control everything. This is what Burrow told Field Yates just a couple of weeks ago about how his own extension might affect other key players. “Our front office has done a great job of that the past couple of years of putting us in the best position to succeed the way that we have,” Burrow stated. “So we’ll see where it goes, but I’m confident that we’ll be able to keep everybody.”

Seems like the news of Wilson reaching an extension deal leaked out before they wanted it too...

I think you may be right about Burrow wanting Higgins to sign first. That might be even more obvious now than it was back in May. Feels like Burrow is just sitting back and waiting for the organization to fit the other two young core players from the 2020 draft. The Bengals are very quiet with the state of contract talks, but they seem laser-focused on making sure they get extension deals with all three. Kyle Williams, the Bengals communication coordinator, wrote the Wilson extension article on Bengals.com and subtly confirmed that fact. They want not just one, not just two, but all three. This particular paragraph can be revealing as to the organization's intent if you read it carefully. Wilson has proven to be one of the best linebackers in the league since being drafted in 2020 as part of a dynamic Bengals class featuring Joe Burrow and Tee Higgins. Wilson is the first major piece of that puzzle to find itself slotted in place, and his production along with his irreplaceable role as the heartbeat of Cincinnati's defense validates it.

Pretty safe to say that Tee Higgins is also a major part of our young core, and it's a priority to get that deal done too as the team builds toward the future. "Logan is a major piece of our young core, and it was a priority to get this deal done," said Bengals head coach Zac Taylor. "He's been a fantastic leader for our defense and comes in ready to work every single day. He will continue to be a key member of this team as we build toward the future."

Most of the sports media people expected the Bengals to extend Burrow first, then try to extend Higgins and then Wilson with whatever cap money is still left. But it seems like the reverse is happening, where Burrow is waiting for two or three others to reach extension deals before signing one himself. At this point I'm wondering if Burrow is using his tremendous leverage to force the Bengals to sign as many core players as possible, even if he recognizes that there will not be enough money available to sign then all. I now think Higgins will sign an extension before Burrow does,