Joe Burrow has been one of the best quarterbacks in the league when healthy. Unfortunately for Burrow, the Bengals have underperformed as a team, and as a result, there has been some trade speculation involving the quarterback.
However, a Bengals insider recently shot down the latest Burrow trade rumors in a definitive way.
Vikings Linked to Massive Joe Burrow Blockbuster as Bengals Insider Shuts It Down
NFL insider Grant Cohn reported that a source “close to the Vikings” said the team is prepared to offer J.J. McCarthy, Jonathan Greenard, and multiple first-round picks to the Bengals for Burrow.
It’s an interesting idea, given that it’s reasonable to believe Burrow is frustrated with the team’s lack of success and that the Vikings badly need a quarterback upgrade. However, Bengals insider James Rapien quickly shut down the idea, saying it was “more likely” Burrow would be playing for the Vikings in 2026 than he would.
“I’m more likely to play for the Vikings in 2026 than Joe Burrow,” said Rapien. “Thanks, and have a good night!”
That’s definitely saying a lot, considering it’s very, very unlikely that a reporter gets a shot to play in the NFL. Still, this isn’t the first time we’ve heard Burrow trade rumors, so it’s easy to assume there’s something to it. It wouldn’t exactly be easy to trade Burrow, though, due to his massive contract.
In 2023, Burrow inked a five-year, $275 million extension with the Bengals. The star quarterback carries a cap hit of over $50 million from 2027 to 2029. The Bengals would have to eat almost $60 million in dead money if they traded Burrow before June 1.
Since coming into the league in 2020, Burrow has cemented himself as one of the best passers in the league. In 2025, Burrow played in eight games, throwing for 1,809 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions.
Unfortunately, the Bengals struggled to find success while Burrow was out, and the team missed the playoffs once again. Burrow has only made the playoffs twice in his six seasons with the Bengals.
In 2025, PFSN’s QB Impact metric gave Burrow an 80.1 grade, ranking 10th out of 48 qualified passers.
