"Joe Burrow is the guy I worry about" - Colin Cowherd raises concern for $275,000,000 Bengals QB's legacy in Cincinnati

The NFL playoffs have put things in perspective for a few quarterbacks. Joe Burrow's Cincinnati Bengals came agonizingly close to making the playoffs but only have themselves to blame after missing out in Week 18 following the Denver Broncos' shutout 38-0 win over the Kansas City Chiefs.

Had the Bengals duly dispatched Jerod Mayo's New England Patriots in Week 1, they wouldn't find themselves on the outside looking in when it came to the NFL playoff picture.

Now, the Bengals will have some major decisions to make for the 2025 season, starting with the financial problem of keeping Tee Higgins in town.

One man who is worried the Bengals will fail to progress next season is Colin Cowherd. On the latest episode of his daily show "The Herd", Cowherd outlined why he doesn't see Burrow going back to the Super Bowl.

"The one quarterback I worry about is Joe Burrow. Because Joe Burrow has one of the poorest owners, if not the poorest owner," Cowherd said. "They had to sell the naming rights to the stadium to pay for his contract. The general manager in Cincinnati, it's run by the Brown family, he's virtually powerless.

"They're the opposite of the Eagles. They take no big swings, no big risks. It's like the Eagles and then Bengals are using two separate salary caps and banks. Joe Burrow's the guy I worry about.

"Let's be honest, as great as Matthew Stafford is, you don't have the right owner, the right coach, you will eventually hit your head on that low ceiling," he added.

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Exploring Cincinnati Bengals' cap situation to build around Joe Burrow in 2025

According to Over The Cap, the Bengals are on track to have $47.6 million in cap space, good enough for 11th in the league. In comparison, the New England Patriots are on top and have $120.5 million in cap space while the New Orleans Saints are bottom of the list, $52.3 million over the projected salary cap of $272.5 million for next season.

Both Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins will need contract extensions to keep the band together while the Bengals also need to get some talent on defense. Trey Hendrickson will also likely need a big offer to keep him in Cincinnati.

In April, the Bengals will have the No. 17 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft with a slew of team needs facing them, including at TE, RB, CB, DL and EDGE.