Joe Burrow, Bengals Reportedly Agree to 4-Year, $36.1M Rookie Contract

The new era for the Cincinnati Bengals seems to have begun.

Joe Burrow, who the AFC North team selected with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2020 NFL draft, reportedly agreed to his rookie contract Tuesday. It is for four years and $36.1 million, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.

Per Schefter, Burrow will receive 100 percent of his $23.88 million signing bonus within the first 15 days of signing his deal.

ESPN's Field Yates reported in April that the value of the contract was set at just more than $36.1 million with a signing bonus of more than $23.8 million for a four-year deal with a fifth-year option.

Now comes the task of turning around the Bengals.

Cincinnati is coming off a 2-14 campaign and hasn't enjoyed a winning record in any of the last four seasons. The team's last playoff win was during the 1990 season, and it has never won a Super Bowl.

Fortunately for Burrow, the cupboard is not exactly bare for the Bengals, especially compared to the team that went 2-14. 

Star wide receiver A.J. Green is expected to return after missing the 2019 season with injury, running back Joe Mixon ran for more than 1,100 yards last year and the combination of Tyler Boyd, John Ross and rookie Tee Higgins gives Burrow plenty of secondary weapons should opposing defenses focus too much attention on Green.

Burrow proved just how effective he can be with weapons at his disposal during his final collegiate season when he led LSU to a national championship and won the Heisman Trophy behind 5,671 passing yards, 60 touchdown passes and only six interceptions.

It was one of the best individual college football seasons in history, and Burrow shot up draft boards as a result.

There was little doubt the Bengals were taking him No. 1 overall by the time April's draft arrived, and they.  now look set for him to be their franchise quarterback.