Joe Burrow Reportedly Restructures Bengals Contract, Updated Salary Cap for 2026 NFL Season

The Cincinnati Bengals have created $10 million in salary cap space by restructuring the contract of quarterback Joe Burrow, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Tuesday.

According to Rapoport and Schefter, the move "is due in part to the cash needed for the Dexter Lawrence trade."

The Bengals had just $7.2 million in cap space prior to the move, which was ranked as the third-least space in the NFL by Over the Cap.

The Bengals immediately used some of the new projected total of $17.2 million in 2026 cap space to sign second-round pick Cashius Howell.

Howell is set to earn approximately $12 million over the length of his rookie contract, per Over the Cap.

Cincinnati could have acquired up to $19.23 million in cap space by restructuring Burrow's contract for next season, per Over the Cap's Nick Korte.

Gaining about half of that space will help the Bengals make room under the cap following the decision to sign Lawrence to an extension shortly after acquiring him in an April trade with the New York Giants.

Lawrence is now signed through 2028. He is currently set to cost the Bengals a $15.3 million cap hit for next season, per Over the Cap.

Burrow, who is signed through the 2029 season, was previously set to cost the Bengals a cap hit of just below $48 million for 2026 prior to his contract restructuring.

The Bengals quarterback has expressed excitement about his team's offseason moves including trading for Lawrence and signing safety Bryan Cook.

"Signed the best free agent safety. Got the best d-tackle in the league, in my opinion... We have everything we need in that locker room. We've just got to go and make it happen," Burrow told reporters in May.

Burrow will now hope helping his team create more cap space for 2026 can help the Bengals make it back to the playoffs this winter for the first time in four years.