There’s an architect in Cincy nowadays drawing up blueprints. Yeah, Joe Burrow. But isn’t he a chef? Oh, yes, that too! So, imagine a person who can do both.

After cooking in the 2024 season, he has picked up paper and pencil. But he’s not sketching landscapes, though. He’s mapping out the future of the Bengals. And the Who Dey? They see him as a superhero. So, of course, he showed up with a cape.

Sure, they just missed the playoffs in 2024 (seriously, who had the Broncos stopping the Chiefs 38-0 on their bingo card?). But Burrow isn’t sulking—he’s strategizing. So, when he was on the Breakfast Ball and they asked him if he’d restructure his contract to keep his weapons in town, his answer was as precise as one of his back-shoulder fades to Ja’Marr Chase: “Of course.” No hesitation. Just Burrow, making it clear he wants to keep this offense intact.

But wanting it and making it happen? Two different ball games. The Bengals have cap space, but with Trey Hendrickson, Tee Higgins, Chase, and others due for big paydays, things could get tricky. Burrow, though, isn’t sweating the details. “I have faith… We have the cap space to get it done. I want to make it happen.” A star QB offering to tweak his deal for the team? That’s not rare, but it’s only done . But is the front office as committed to keeping this core together as he is?

The numbers tell the story of Burrow’s rise. Drafted No. 1 overall in 2020, he inked a four-year, $36 million rookie deal. Then came the record-breaking five-year, $275 million extension, making him the highest-paid quarterback in league history. That deal already included a fifth-year option, locking him in through 2029. But now, restructuring could give the Bengals much-needed flexibility.

Burrow wouldn’t be the first star QB to take this route. Tom Brady practically wrote the playbook on team-friendly restructures, repeatedly tweaking his deal in New England to keep the Patriots stacked. Then, recently, Patrick Mahomes followed suit, restructuring his mega 10-year deal with the Chiefs to ease cap pressure and keep Kansas City’s championship window wide open.

Well, like they say, the blueprint is there. Now, it’s up to the Bengals to follow it.

Joe Burrrow: The architect

Joe Burrow isn’t just calling plays on the field. But he cooked while calling it on the gridiron… Straight-up elite: 4,918 yards, 43 touchdowns, just nine picks. Oh, and he added 201 rushing yards for good measure.

Stats like that usually mean, pay the man. But Burrow? He’s already looking at the bigger picture: Contract restructuring to keep the band together.

It’s not impossible… You see, the Bengals could shift parts of Burrow’s salary into a signing bonus, lowering his cap hit in 2025 from $46.25 million to $34.25 million. That’s a $12 million difference—enough to make a real impact. Add a contract extension or a few void years, and suddenly, Cincinnati has the breathing room to lock in their playmakers.

Here’s what that could look like:

This move wouldn’t just help the Bengals now—it would keep them competitive for years. The extra cap space could mean locking in Chase, keeping Higgins, or even landing a key free agent. The front office would have options instead of scrambling to make the numbers work.

Burrow’s vision for Cincinnati isn’t just about personal success—it’s about legacy. He’s thinking long-term, not just about his own payday, but about keeping a championship-caliber team around him. The question is, will the Bengals step up and follow his blueprint?