All offseason long, one idea kept circling the Cincinnati Bengals: eventually, quarterback Joe Burrow’s contract would get reworked. Around the league, it felt less like a question of if and more like when. That move could still happen tomorrow, next week, or sometime deep into the summer. But for now, despite all the speculation and anticipation, nothing has materialized.

That’s surprising considering how hard the franchise worked this offseason and assembled a stacked squad. After fielding one of the league’s worst defenses in 2025, ranked 31st overall in total defense, they badly needed a revamp. The downside, however, was the impact it had on their salary cap situation, especially concerning Burrow, and that’s why it would have been imperative to restructure his contract. However, as per the latest intel from Charlie Clifford of WLWT:

“There continues to be no dialogue between the team and Joe Burrow’s representatives regarding a restructure of the franchise quarterback’s contract.”

Burrow signed a five-year extension with the Bengals in 2023 worth $275 million. For 2026, Burrow’s cap hit is projected to be $47.9 million, while the Bengals currently have only around $7.17 million in available cap space. So, if they restructure their star QB’s contract, they could free up more space to sign new players for 2026, and a few months ago, the Bengals even had plans around that.

“Those are things we are working through after the draft,” said Bengals Director of Player Personnel Duke Tobin in April. “We have layered in [salary cap] challenges, but we are up to them, and we do it because we have the opportunity to add the right people and the right players.”

After pouring unprecedented money into the defense this offseason, the biggest spending surge on that side of the ball in franchise history, the Bengals no longer have much financial flexibility left heading into 2026. The aggressive approach may have reshaped the roster, but it also left the organization operating with far tighter salary cap room than usual.

The Bengals signed Boye Mafe to a three-year, $60 million deal and also brought in DT Dexter Lawrence from the Giants, with the duo carrying a combined cap hit of over $32 million for 2026. It was needed, even though it shrank their $47 million cap space. But not all holes were covered.

Analysts and veterans feel that the team lacks an elite linebacker. Currently, young linebackers Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter stand as the two names in that room. But apart from them, the Bengals don’t have much talent.

“It’s tough to generate rosy projections from the film alone. Knight and Carter looked like rookies last year. Carter is fooled all too easily by backfield action, jumping at shadows on one play and freezing in place on the next,” ESPN’s Ben Solak wrote last week. “Knight was seeing it quicker and cleaner by the end of the season. But his lack of flexibility and agility in space forced him to take on contact at bad angles. It’s not hard to foresee the missed tackle issues continuing into next season.”

If the Bengals come to an agreement of converting Joe Burrow’s base salary into a signing bonus to immediately lower their current year salary cap hit, they could add more depth to the positions they seemingly lack behind now.

Notably, the Kansas City Chiefs executed a contract restructure for Patrick Mahomes to clear $43.56 million in salary cap space for the 2026 season in March. Before the transaction, Mahomes was scheduled to carry a near-record $78.2 million cap hit for 2026, which put the Chiefs more than $50 million over the league cap limit. But the adjustments eventually helped the team to free more cap space.

It will be interesting to see if the Bengals do the same with Burrow. But amid this, the 29-year-old QB seems excited to represent the Cincinnati-based team for his seventh consecutive season.

Joe Burrow asserts confidence in Bengals 2026 roster

The Cincinnati Bengals selected Joe Burrow with the first overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, and expectations were high. He started well, especially in 2021 and 2022, when he guided the Bengals to a Super Bowl appearance and back-to-back AFC Championship Games. But since then, the Bengals’ performances have been rather uninspiring. And in the past two seasons, they failed to even make it to the playoffs.

However, heading into the 2026 season, Burrow looks optimistic about the team’s chances of making a deep run, especially after gaining roster depth.

“I think this is the most talented roster we’ve had since I’ve been here,” said Burrow on Wednesday. “Got better at a lot of positions… We have a lot of depth now on the defensive line. That’s exciting, not just for me but for those guys…. We have everything we need in that locker room. We just have to go and make it happen.

“I’m fired up about the people we brought in, about the mindset guys are bringing on a daily. I’m fired up about the energy everybody is bringing in the weight room, conditioning, and in practice,” he added. “We have a lot of work to get done before July, before September, but I love where we’re at right now.”

The Bengals roped in over 20 outside roster additions in the form of free agents, draft class, and undrafted free agents. Defensive tackles Dexter Lawrence and Jonathan Allen, edge rusher Boye Mafe, safety Bryan Cook, and cornerback Ja’Sir Taylor stand as some of the few promising stars that could turn the tide of the Bengals, along with Burrow.

On that note, it will be interesting to see how the team will perform in their Week 1 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on September 13.