Watching the Cincinnati Bengals fall short over the last two seasons has been frustrating, especially considering they had Joe Burrow on a rookie contract during that time. Now that Burrow and several key players are due for big paydays, the financial situation is changing dramatically.
NFL analyst Dave Dameshek criticized Burrow for this, listing him among the quarterbacks with the most to prove in 2025. Dameshek acknowledged Burrow’s Super Bowl appearance but cautioned that pushing for everyone to get paid—potentially at the cost of the defense—could be a dangerous strategy.
“Yes, I know he made it to a Super Bowl,” Dameshek said on his podcast. “But I don’t think the defense will be any better than last year. The offense might still be great, but if they miss the playoffs again, it’ll reflect poorly on Burrow because he championed this flawed formula.”
Dameshek believes Burrow’s desire for the team to retain offensive stars like Ja’Marr Chase, Mike Gesicki, and Tee Higgins may have come at the expense of building a stronger defense. While these moves should keep the offense explosive—assuming Burrow stays healthy—the defense, which was a weakness last season, hasn’t seen enough improvement.
Although the Bengals got good news about Trey Hendrickson, he alone won’t solve their defensive struggles. Allocating big money to offensive players may ultimately hinder the team’s ability to field a solid defense.
Calling Burrow’s approach “poisonous” might be a stretch, but if it fails, he’ll likely face criticism for influencing the team’s direction. With the talent they have, missing the playoffs again would be a major disappointment, and retaining Burrow’s top weapons has to yield better results going forward.
