Bengals hint Myles Murphy 5th-year option, Joe Burrow contract plans

The Cincinnati Bengals exit the NFL draft in uncomfortable territory.

Those Bengals have justifiably been happy to chat publicly multiple times about how they nearly lead the entire league in cash spending right now.

Justified: They were very active in free agency at the top of the market at different positions, then traded for and extended the contract of Dexter Lawrence. They have just $7.4 million in free cap space, roughly.

At this point, the Bengals’ cap situation might impact the team’s ability to do something expected like pick up the fifth-year option on defensive end Myles Murphy. Director of player personnel Duke Tobin commented on this after the draft.

Tobin hinted to reporters that Murphy’s fifth-year option is something they’ll now loop to and make a decision on, and that they would like an extension, potentially. But he called it a "financial decision.” That's due by May 1.

Which, translated, means the Lawrence trade has muddied up their contract situation beyond just this year.

This also drags the Joe Burrow contract restructure back into the light. The move that would free up roughy $19 million in cap space now almost feels mandatory. Tobin specifically called this a post-draft thing.

Most modern NFL teams with top-10 quarterbacks restructure star quarterbacks as-needed while going “all-in.”

This offseason? The Bengals appear to finally be joining those modern teams. That means a Burrow restructure soon, if not over the summer, and some tough choices on guys like Murphy.