Can Bengals restructure Joe Burrow's contract to help roster build?

"Roster building is 12 months a year. It never stops, but these two months are critical, " said Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin. "Really excited and proud of personnel guys upstairs and how they attacked and how they stayed with it."

With the draft in the rearview mirror, here's what's next on the Bengals' offseason to-do list and where they stand on some of those challenges:

Restructuring Joe Burrow's contract a possibility?

It's common in the modern NFL to see starting quarterbacks agree to restructure their mega-deals in order to provide their team with flexibility to improve personnel. Burrow, currently in the midst of a five-year, $275 million deal, is a prime candidate for a possible restructure, especially as the Bengals look to return to the playoffs and keep alive hopes of Super Bowl contention while Burrow is with the team.

Now is the time of year when the Bengals can investigate that possibility, Tobin suggested. No promises were made as to whether or not it would happen.

"Those are things that we're working through after the draft. We've layered in challenges, but we're up to them, and we do it because we have the opportunity to add the right people and the right players," Tobin said. "Those are challenges that the locker room isn't interested in. They're interested in having the best team possible, and that's what we're trying to give them is the best team possible."

The Bengals could potentially restructure star quarterback Joe Burrow's contract to accommodate additions the roster.

Burrow has been outspoken on personnel matters in the past and has indicated he was open to restructure his contract last offseason in order to help the Bengals retain receivers Tee Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase.

Cincinnati could probably use the relief that would come with restructuring Burrow's contract. Tobin said the Bengals are "damn close" to the top of the NFL in roster spending.

An important deadline for DE Myles Murphy's contract situation

Defensive end Murphy led the Bengals in sacks in 2025 and was productive for the club when healthy. Tobin said the team wants to retain him long-term, and a decision on what "long-term" looks like will come due May 1. Cincinnati has until that date to engage Murphy's fifth-year contract option. Otherwise, 2026 will be the final year of his rookie contract.

Tobin said finances would be a determining factor in Murphy's situation.

"That’s coming up this week. Now that the draft is up we will see what kind of cost we can layer in here and what we can and can’t do there," Tobin said. "It will be a financial decision primarily one way or the other. He’s a guy we are counting on not only this year, (but also) we would like a long-term relationship with him. I don’t know whether that comes together. Again, we are at the top of the league in spending right now. So we are going to have to make it work and we’ll see what we do with that. That will be a decision we make as we dive into this week looking at next year, and we’ve got some cap ramifications there with what we’ve done."

Bengals cornerback DJ Turner (20) is in the final year of his contract.

Can the Bengals extend their star cornerbacks?

The Bengals have two cornerback contract situations to address. DJ Turner II is in the final year of his contract, while Dax Hill is playing on a fifth-year option the team exercised. Both players are 25 years old, were highly effective in 2025 and are worthy of pursuing for long-term deals.

"What’s feasible going forward financially with our players remains to be seen," Tobin said. "We’re going to try to keep as many good players as we can. That’s our focus. It’s always been our focus. How to fit it all together, that’s the job of the folks upstairs, to see what can happen there. It’s a two-way street there, too."

Is there money left for Bengals to add at linebacker position?

One area the Bengals hadn't addressed this offseason as of April 27 was the linebacker position, and it remains to be seen if there will be flexibility to add there after it didn't happen in free agency or the draft.

The Bengals continue to emphasize their position that they like linebackers Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight Jr., who are both entering their second professional season. Even Oren Burks, previously a starter for Philadelphia in Super Bowl LIX, received a positive name-check from defensive coordinator Al Golden during draft weekend as he discussed the linebacker group.

On paper, though, linebacker remains an area of need. A fix at linebacker doesn't necessarily have to arrive in the near-term, Tobin seemed to indicate. And the team showed that late last summer with the addition of offensive lineman Dalton Risner.

"We’ll always look at adding the right guy again. Again, I am not down on my linebackers," Tobin said. "They individually will improve and collectively will improve by what we've done and the experience that they've gained. If there are people that we think can add to the group, we'll add to the group. We're not done roster building. There's an entire offseason, then there's training camp, then there's cutdowns, then there's practice squads, then there is practice squad poaches and then there's trades. And then, I mean, you're never done roster building. But I feel very good about our roster as it sits right now."

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Can Bengals restructure Joe Burrow's contract to help roster build?