Stephen A. Smith on Joe Burrow: 'I Think He Should' Ask Bengals for Trade

Smith isn't confident that the Bengals will keep their star players this offseason.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) sits on the bench between drives in the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 8 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Philadelphia Eagles at Paycor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. The Bengals fell to 3-5 on the season with a 37-17 loss to the Eagles at home. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

CINCINNATI — One day after we reported that the Bengals would use the franchise tag on Tee Higgins if they couldn't reach a long-term deal with him by March 4, the national media is openly wondering if Joe Burrow will request a trade in the future.

The Bengals are planning on signing Higgins, Ja'Marr Chase and Trey Hendrickson to long-term contracts. Burrow has made it clear that that's what he wants to happen.

ESPN's Stephen A. Smith believes Burrow will ask for a trade if it doesn't happen.

"I think that he should and I think that he will," Smith said on First Take. "I think that the Joe Burrow that we met during Super Bowl week, the Joe Burrow that we've seen talking in front of the microphone, he's made it a point to be very conspicuous in his positions. He's letting them know he's not happy and he ain't about to stand pat. And he's not about to be a quarterback for a franchise that ain't trying to win. And he's hoping that history doesn't repeat itself."

That history Smith is referring to is the trade demand that Carson Palmer made after the 2010 season. He briefly retired before the Bengals traded him to the Raiders.

Smith also questioned Bengals owner Mike Brown.

"As the saying goes, you can't keep teaching old dog new tricks," he said. "And Mike Brown is Mike Brown. And considering the money that the NFL practically prints, for crying out loud, you would think this man would prioritize winning."

Watch the full clip from ESPN's First Take below:

"Call them the 'Cheap-innati Bengals', because they don't want to pay people." 😳 @HDouglas83 and @stephenasmith on Joe Burrow's future with the Cincinnati Bengals 👀 pic.twitter.com/nLpS4xifIg

— First Take (@FirstTake) February 18, 2025

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