Joe Burrow Rumors: Bengals QB May Wait on Justin Herbert Before Signing New Contract

While Cincinnati Bengals star quarterback Joe Burrow is working toward a contract extension, there's reportedly a chance that he waits for another highly touted signal-caller to ink a new deal first.

During an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler said there's a belief Burrow could allow Los Angeles Chargers star Justin Herbert to set the market for what his extension should look like.

"Talking to other teams, they think Burrow could wait on Herbert in L.A.," Fowler said at the 1:15 mark. "Like if Herbert can get a deal done first, Burrow can just say, 'OK, well that's the benchmark. Give me a little bit more than that and then we'll all be happy.'"

Both Burrow and Herbert entered the league in 2020, with Burrow being drafted first overall by the Bengals and Herbert being selected sixth by the Chargers. They both have already proven to be among the brightest young quarterbacks in the NFL, and there's a chance their best days are still ahead of them.

Though both of them are seeking their first championship ring, Burrow has enjoyed more playoff success than Herbert, leading Cincinnati to an appearance in Super Bowl LVI against the Los Angeles Rams and a second consecutive trip to the AFC Championship Game last season against the Kansas City Chiefs.

For his part, Burrow has remained patient in getting a new deal done, but he made it clear earlier this offseason that he won't be airing his negotiations in public.

"I'm involved," Burrow said last month regarding contract discussions. "It's in the works. It's not really something I like to play out in the media. That's just the way I think they want to do business, [how] I want to do business. We prefer to keep that between us."

Still, it's likely that both sides would want to get a deal in place before training camp, which is set to begin on July 26. Burrow and the Bengals have been on the doorstep of a championship for the past few years, so it's important that there aren't any distractions as they prepare to compete for a title this season.