Joe Burrow isn't going anywhere. After his fellow 2020 quarterbacks inked long-term extensions, many were waiting for the Cincinnati Bengals to extend their star quarterback. However, up until the start of the regular season, there was no news about Burrow's extension. The injury he dealt with during training camp certainly didn't help.

Literally minutes before the Thursday Night game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Detroit Lions, the Bengals announced Joe Burrow's contract extension. As usual, the deal makes Burrow the highest-paid player in league history: five years worth up to $275 million, $217 million of which is guaranteed, good for $55 million a year. He's likely to keep that title for some time before another QB (or perhaps one of his receivers) sets the market once again.

After the dust has settled, it's time to take a look at this extension. Just how good is this contract extension, and how does it benefit the Bengals?

Joe Burrow Bengals extension grade: A (conditional)

Come on. Did you really think this extension would get anything less than an A- at worst?

It's not a stretch to say that Joe Burrow saved the Bengals. Burrow was selected first overall by his hometown team after a historically terrible 2019 season. In his first year, the former LSU QB put up solid numbers, but an ACL injury late into his rookie year ended his season prematurely.

In his second year, though, coming off the torn ACL, Burrow proved why he was selected first overall by the Bengals. After a middling start to the season, Cincinnati turned white-hot to end the year, going on a massive winning streak to win the AFC North. Burrow, flanked by his trio of elite wide receivers, finished with 4,611 passing yards while completing a shade over 70% of his passes. He also had 34 TDs to 14 INTs.

Since then, the Bengals have become consistent Super Bowl contenders. Year 1 of the full Joe Burrow experience yielded a Super Bowl appearance for Cincinnati, losing a heart-breaker against the Los Angeles Rams. After that, the team once again went to the AFC Championship Game, with Burrow turning in an MVP-level season. They were knocked out by the Chiefs (who is arguably their biggest rival now).

Keeping the quarterback that started this all was tantamount to this success was a necessity for the Bengals. The cost is great, but that's what happens when you have a top-tier quarterback. Joe Burrow deserves all that money and then some, and he seems to love staying in Cincinnati as well.

So why just an A grade? And why is there a “conditional” tag on the grade? Well, while Burrow is arguably the most important Bengal, he's not the only one on the roster. Last night's game showed that even if you have an elite quarterback, you still need players that can capitalize on his greatness. There's a couple of big names on the roster that still need an extension: WRs Tee Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase. Burrow's huge contract obviously affects the Bengals' ability to sign the two. Whether the team can mitigate those limitations, though, is the biggest question.

Still, you can't go wrong with signing your best player to a shiny new extension. The Bengals had a track record of being hesitant to give their players lucrative extensions. When you have a player on Burrow's caliber, though, these players force you to acknowledge their presence. Keeping Burrow's elite arm and mind with the Bengals is a great move.