Joe Burrow avoided a lightning bolt on Thursday. He should remain in the house until he gets his second contract.
It goes without saying that Thursday’s close-call calf injury means Burrow should not practice or play until he signs a long-term extension. (Even though it goes without saying, I’ll say it anyway.) There’s too much at risk, too much to lose for the franchise quarterback.
The Bengals surely won’t blame Burrow for protecting himself until the new contract shifts the injury risk to the team. If he were to suffer a season-ending injury, the Bengals would have no real reason to complete the contract, at least not until Burrow became healthy again.
That said, maybe the Bengals would do it anyway. If they hope to keep Burrow for the next 10 years or longer (and they do), slamming the brakes on the long-term contract simply because he can’t play for 2023 would run the risk of Burrow saying, “You know what? I’ll just finish my rookie deal, get tagged twice, and then leave as a free agent.”
Still, it’s always better in the quest to get top dollar to be actually playing. Burrow apparently will be able to play this year. He shouldn’t set foot on a field, however, until he puts his signature at the bottom of a new contract.
