Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow started a social media firestorm this week when he made some cryptic comments about his NFL future.
“If I want to keep doing this, I have to have fun doing it,” Burrow told reporters. “You know, I’ve been through a lot and if it’s not fun, then what am I doing it for? So, that’s the mindset I’m trying to bring to the table.”
Burrow’s remarks sparked speculation he might retire, while others believe that was his way of hinting to Cincinnati’s front office he wants to be traded.
And while it’s hard to imagine the Bengals trading away their $275 million franchise quarterback in the prime of his career, stranger things have happened, which is why one former Super Bowl champion believes the San Francisco 49ers should pounce on the opportunity.
Kurt Warner Prefers Burrow Over Bock Purdy
GettySan Francisco 49ers QB Brock Purdy
During a recent radio interview with 95.7 The Game, former Los Angeles Rams QB Kurt Warner was asked if he would trade current Pro Bowl QB Brock Purdy for Burrow this offseason.
“You know I love Brock Purdy and I think Brock’s really good, but I also do believe Joe is better than Brock is and brings more to the table,” Warner said.
“… I love Brock, and I think Brock is a really good starting quarterback in the National Football League, so I don’t think he’s a guy that you part with easily. But if Patrick Mahomes, and Josh Allen, and Lamar Jackson, and Joe Burrow become available, I think any team—especially with as young as those guys are—any team would at least consider exploring trying to get one of those guys.”
Purdy signed a $265 million contract extension right before the 2025 season, and at 25 years old, San Francisco is invested quite a bit in his ability to deliver a Super Bowl championship.
But Burrow is in a different league.
The LSU alum has already led a team most analysts considered to be less-than to the Super Bowl just a few years ago, and putting Burrow behind a strong offensive line, which the 49ers have, with talented pass-catchers and an all-world running back, which they also have, would be too enticing for general manager John Lynch to pass up.
What Would a Trade Look Like?
It’s tough to envision a world where the Bengals actually trade Burrow, but if the Pro Bowler gives them an ultimatum (trade me or I retire), then it’s possible a deal may get done.
Cincinnati will almost certainly not get back fair market value for a franchise QB of Burrow’s caliber, but any team acquiring the former No. 1 overall pick will likely have to pay a small fortune to get him.
Purdy will be the center piece of any deal. The 25-year-old is considerably younger than Burrow, who’s 29, which helps soften the draft pick compensation San Francisco will have to give up.
The 49ers gave up three first-round picks for Trey Lance during the 2021 draft, so that’s likely the starting point for this deal. San Francisco’s first-rounder in 2026, 2027, and 2028 plus third-rounders in 2026 and 2027, plus Purdy, just may be the framework of a deal that could happen.
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