21 May 2023 , 16:13
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Tee Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase are grateful to have Cincinnati Bengals star Joe Burrow in his corner amid the quarterback's contract negotiations.
The Cincinnati Bengals player is eligible for a new deal and he is keen to sign one that would not only benefit himself but also the team. The 24-year-old has the opportunity to become the highest paid NFL player, but he is keeping his colleagues in mind, who will soon be due for a new deal too.
Burrow is taking a page out of the book of the legendary Tom Brady who, throughout his illustrious career while still making eye-watering amounts, opted for team friendly deals to save cap space and allow players to be paid what they were worth. “I’m pretty clear on what I want in the contract and what I think is best for myself and the team and we’re on the road to making that happen,” Burrow told reporters.
He added: “I’m involved. And that’s in the works. Whenever you have guys on the team that need to be paid, that’s always on your mind.” One of the players who may be impacted by Burrows’ contract extension is wide receiver Tee Higgins, who is in the final year of his rookie deal and has been encouraged by teammate's words.
“Means a lot having a leader like him looking out for guys like us,” Higgins told The Athletic. “Obviously we talk about staying together for the long run. Hopefully, we can do that and get something negotiated to where they can keep all three of us.”
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Another wide receiver in Ja'Marr Chase is also due an extension and Burrow's intention is to keep as much of the team together as the franchise can. "It means he wants to win,” he told the Cincinnati Enquirer. “He’s [Burrow] not a big guy on money... He wants to look out for the people around him and keep the team around him."
Burrow threw 35 touchdown passes during the 2022 season (William Purnell/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)The Bengals reached the NFL Conference Championships last season and were narrowly beaten by the Kansas City Chiefs 23-20, who went on to win the Super Bowl. The year before, they reached the showpiece event but suffered an agonising loss to the LA Rams by the same scoreline.
It is no surprise Burrows wants to keep the squad together in a bid to build on their efforts over the last two seasons. "It’s definitely whenever you have guys on the team that need to be paid, that’s on your mind,” Burrow added.
“You want that to be a focal point and so we’re working to make that happen. You got to have good players. It doesn't matter how good your quarterback is, if you don’t have good players around him, you’re not going to be a good team.”