Report: Bengals must change 'approach to veteran contracts' to help QB Joe Burrow

A major talking point coming off the Cincinnati Bengals' loss to the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LVI this past Sunday was that Cincinnati second-year quarterback Joe Burrow took seven sacks and suffered an MCL sprain in that defeat playing behind an offensive line largely blamed for the 25-year-old being sacked a total of 70 times across regular-season and postseason action. 

Cincinnati head coach Zac Taylor accepted some of the blame when he told reporters Wednesday his play-calling "could be better" to help his offensive front down the road. However, Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio reports a league source says the Bengals must "alter an approach to veteran contracts that currently does not fully guarantee payments beyond the first year of the deal" if they want to attract top-tier free-agent offensive linemen over the next month or so. 

In a piece published Wednesday, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic named current Washington Commanders All-Pro guard and to-be free agent Brandon Scherff as a "top-of-the-market" potential target for the Bengals when the new league year opens in March. Specifically, Florio explains Cincinnati would have to offer financial guarantees beyond the 2022 campaign to land Scherff's services. 

According to Geoff Hobson of the Bengals' website, team owner Mike Brown vowed on Wednesday "to do some things to help" Burrow succeed and, ultimately, remain upright during future games. Paying at least one proven protector big-time cash this offseason could be all the Bengals need to return to pro football's biggest stage next February assuming Burrow continues to improve as he approaches his physical prime.