The Bengals have a reputation as one of the most frugal franchises in the NFL. Even when the Bengals pay players, they structure the contracts to protect the team more than reward the player. Their recent contractual dealings have simply reinforced this notion about the club.
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Be it their unwillingness to pay Trey Hendrickson, their contract standoff with first-round pick Shemar Stewart, or the way Tee Higgins had to plead for a new deal, Cincinnati is known to prioritize its bottom line ahead of its players. Amidst this, Joe Burrow broke new ground when he became the first player in Bengals history to receive guaranteed money beyond the first year of his deal.
Burrow’s five-year, $275 million extension, which kicked in with two years remaining on his rookie contract, effectively becomes a seven-year, $310 million agreement. The deal averages $55 million annually, with $219 million in guarantees. Isn’t that a welcome departure from the norm for the franchise? Actually, no!
A closer look reveals that the Bengals fully guaranteed only $146.5 million at signing. As per Sportrac, those guarantees include his base salaries for 2023, 2024, and 2025, a $40 million signing bonus, a $55 million option bonus in 2024, a $10 million option bonus in 2025, and a $4.5 million roster bonus paid out under his rookie deal.
After 2025, however, all guarantees become injury-only. The remaining salaries vest at later dates, giving the Bengals significant flexibility to restructure or move on without absorbing major financial losses.
For instance, Burrow’s 2026 salary won’t become fully guaranteed until March 2025, and his 2027 salary locks in only on the fifth day of the 2026 season. This staggered structure gives the franchise ample exit ramps if needed.
In practical terms, the contract functions more like a three-year, $107 million deal, at least until those future guarantees kick in.
Tee Higgins’ deal tells a similar story. While the contract spans four years, the Bengals guaranteed only a portion at signing and included no guaranteed base salary for 2026. That gives the Bengals a relatively clean out after 2025, once again shifting risk away from the team and onto the player.
So while the Bengals appear to be making big-money moves, their contract architecture still leans heavily in favor of the team. That gives them control, flexibility, and cap safety, often at the expense of long-term player security.
