Joe Burrow pushes for the Bengals to extend Chase Brown

Joe Burrow has never been shy about telling the Cincinnati Bengals what he thinks they need to do to build a championship-caliber team. The star quarterback has mentioned this 2026 Bengals team being one of the best he’s been a part of to date.

On Wednesday, as the Bengals opened training camp for the 2026 season, Burrow offered a particularly strong endorsement of one player who is currently looking for a new contract: running back Chase Brown.

Brown is entering the final year of his rookie deal, and while contract talks have been part of the Bengals’ offseason storyline, the 26-year-old running back remains without an extension. Burrow’s latest comments certainly sounded like a quarterback who would like to see that situation changed.

“He does everything. He’s a complete back,” Burrow said of Brown.

That is arguably the most important part of Burrow’s endorsement.

Running backs have become one of the more replaceable positions in the NFL, making it increasingly difficult for players to command major second contracts. But Brown brings something to the table that is harder to replace: the ability to stay on the field in essentially every situation.

Burrow specifically pointed to Brown’s ability as a pass protector, his work as a receiver and his explosiveness with the football. He also praised Brown’s ability to make defenders miss and his intelligence and approach to the game.

That versatility was on full display in 2025.

In his first season as Cincinnati’s full-time starting running back, Brown rushed for 1,019 yards and six touchdowns on 232 carries while adding 69 receptions for 437 yards and five more scores. His 1,456 yards from scrimmage were a career high and represented one of the more productive seasons by a Bengals running back in recent memory.

And Burrow believes Cincinnati should take advantage of everything Brown can provide.

“I think there’s very few backs in this league that you can say that about,” Burrow said when discussing Brown’s ability to stay on the field for every-down situations.

That matters in an offense built around one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks.

If Brown can line up in the backfield, motion out as a receiver, pass protect and remain a legitimate rushing threat, defenses cannot simply substitute personnel based on who is on the field. The Bengals can create mismatches without giving away what they are trying to do.

That is a valuable weapon for Burrow. And apparently, he wants Cincinnati to use Brown a lot more in 2026.

“…a close second is Chase Brown,” Burrow said when discussing his hopes for getting the football into the hands of Cincinnati’s playmakers, with Ja’Marr Chase naturally occupying the top spot.

Ja’Marr Chase is obviously the centerpiece of the Bengals’ passing attack, and Tee Higgins remains another major component of the offense. But Burrow making the case that Brown could be next in line for touches speaks to just how highly he views the running back.

It also makes the contract situation increasingly interesting.

The Bengals have already invested heavily in their offensive core, and managing the salary cap will always be part of the equation. Running back contracts are also notoriously difficult to project, particularly when a player is coming off his first 1,000-yard season.

Another tricky aspect is the roller coaster of wide-ranging opinions on the value of the running back position around the league. In the 1990s, it was of utmost importance, dwindled a bit in more recent years, but teams are coming back around to see the value of a talented player at the spot.

Brown is not simply being asked to carry the football. He has shown that he can contribute as a runner and receiver, while Burrow believes he can be trusted as a pass protector and deployed throughout the formation. That type of versatility potentially gives Brown more value to Cincinnati than a traditional early-down running back.

The Bengals will ultimately have to determine what Brown is worth and whether that number fits into their long-term plans. But coming from the franchise quarterback, the message is pretty clear.

Joe Burrow wants Chase Brown on the field. He wants the ball in his hands. And based on these comments, he would probably like to see Brown remain in Cincinnati beyond the 2026 season.

Now, it is up to the Bengals to decide whether they agree with their quarterback.