Bengals and Vontaze Burfict have opened long-term contract negotiations
By Mike Dyce
Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict led the league in tackles in 2013 with 171. That season earned him a Pro Bowl berth and second-team All-Pro honors, a first in both categories for him. Still he is set to make only $570,000 in 2014 in the final year of his rookie contract. The Bengals want to sign Burfict to a long-term contract and the two sides have opened negotiations according to NFL media insider Ian Rapoport.
ESPN’s Coley Harvey wrote in early March that the Bengals were going to attempt to resign Burfict, as well as wide receiver A.J. Green and quarterback Andy Dalton who called himself the face of the franchise.
Burfict surely is headed for a big pay day, if they don’t get a contract worked out they might have to place the franchise tag on Burfict next offseason to prevent him from hitting free agency. A linebacker of Burfict’s caliber hitting the open market in his early 20s would drive up the price.