This offseason, the Cincinnati Bengals made it their mission to build up the defensive side of the ball as much as possible to become legitimate Super Bowl contenders again.
While that defensive improvement is nice, there is still one question looming over the franchise, and it’s the future of Joe Burrow. There have been rumors about Burrow potentially forcing his way out of Cincinnati, and that could happen if 2026 goes poorly.
If such a disastrous scenario comes to pass, what could the Bengals get in a trade of their franchise QB? ESPN’s Bill Barnwell revealed a potential cost for Burrow, and this return would certainly help alleviate the pain of losing Burrow for Bengals fans, if only a little.
Joe Burrow’s projected trade cost revealed by ESPN
“Four first-round picks: QB Joe Burrow,” Barnwell writes. “If Burrow does try to force his way out of Cincinnati in the years to come, though, we might get a sense of what a truly elite quarterback in the prime of his career might actually land in terms of a trade return.”
Burrow is bringing back four first-round picks, or as Barnwell later noted, “four first-round picks and maybe a Day 3 pick feels like it would be the right return given what Watson landed the Texans.”
Not too long ago, the Houston Texans traded Deshaun Watson to the Cleveland Browns in a stunning blockbuster deal. Houston landed three first-rounders for Watson, so Burrow would likely beat that by at least one first-round pick.
MORE: If Bills trade Josh Allen, this would be the mind-blowing cost
Burrow is a fantastic quarterback who surely would bring back a massive return if he were ever to be traded. And this projection from Barnwell, while not the highest of any player in the NFL, would be a huge help for Cincinnati.
Losing Burrow wouldn’t be ideal. But, if they did trade him, having four first-round picks to rebuild the roster, find a new quarterback, and move forward wouldn’t be the worst.
The Texans have somewhat rebounded with the massive draft capital they got for Watson, and the Bengals could as well if they dealt Burrow.
This projection from Barnwell, of four first-round picks being Burrow’s rough trade cost, feels accurate considering he’s 29 years old and has had some injury issues. But his ceiling makes him so valuable that the Bengals could land a huge haul if they deal him.