Top NFL Draft Analyst Hopes Joe Burrow Leaves Cincinnati if Bengals Fail

The Ringer's Todd McShay added more fuel to the national media fire that is raging over Joe Burrow potentially leaving Cincinnati at some point.

The top NFL Draft analyst appeared on The Bill Simmons Podcast this week and stated he wants to see the Bengals passer play somewhere else if things don't lead to a playoff appearance over the next few months.

Highly Unlikely

Aug 28, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow before a game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There is almost zero scenario where Burrow will get traded after this season, no matter what happens, on top of the fact that he's never indicated in any sense that he wants out. Alas, the national talking heads continue trying to push him to a new destination, like what happened with Matthew Stafford once he moved from Detroit to Los Angeles.

McShay loves Burrow's game and doesn't want it to go to waste.

"He's just different. But this thing has eroded him, like physically, emotionally, I don't think confidence-wise, but I do wonder when that starts to set in," McShay said on the show. "I kind of want to see him go somewhere else if this year isn't, 'Hey, we're back in the playoffs, things are rolling.' I want to see Joe Burrow get an opportunity somewhere else like Stafford--who's next up that we're going to talk about?

"I wouldn't mind seeing a Stafford-like situation. It isn't as dismal in Cincinnati. They obviously made the Super Bowl, but I want to see elite, special players wind up with opportunities where they can actually go and be themselves."

Burrow is under contract through the 2029 season.

He's had just about every request to upgrade the talent around him fulfilled by the front office.

As long as this team stays relatively healthy, the pressure is on Zac Taylor and his staff to draw up winning plans all season. If not, it's much more likely Cincinnati moves on from its coaches and pairs Burrow with a new group than trading him somewhere like Stafford got moved (which happened much later in his Detroit career than Burrow is at now, for that matter).

Burrow has never wavered in his confidence toward the franchise, including Taylor's staff. He just endorsed them again last Friday night.

"I really think we have a great coaching staff," Burrow said on the CBS Sports Eagles-Bengals preseason broadcast. "Those guys work really hard and give us a lot of answers to the test before we take it. … I really think we have one of the top staffs in the league."

Winning cures all, and Burrow's brigade can stuff these takes in a locker very quickly by starting fast and taking control of the AFC top-tier hierarchy next Sunday and beyond.

Check out the full comments below around the 25-minute mark, including McShay praising Burrow as a guaranteed 10-win player if healthy:

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