Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow left fans holding their breath when he went down with a non-contact injury in training camp and was carted off the field Thursday.

However, the good news is Burrow's injury was not as severe as it initially looked, but he will still have to miss several weeks of practice due to a calf strain, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Still, this injury should serve as a warning to Burrow, who is still in the process of negotiating his contract extension with the Bengals. Had the injury been more severe, it could have definitely hurt Burrow's chances of getting paid what he deserves and put him at risk of being labeled “injury prone.”

Two of the other top quarterbacks from the 2020 draft have already been paid following their third seasons with Jalen Hurts getting a five-year $255 million deal. 2020 sixth overall pick Justin Herbert just reset the market when the Chargers signed him to a five-year $262.5 million extension earlier this week. At the time Herbert's deal was done, everyone was pointing to Burrow being next in line for the contract.

While it's up in the air when exactly Burrow will get his well-earned contract, he should be very careful about returning to practice and play without a new deal done. A serious injury could definitely hurt Burrow's chances of getting a contract in the realm of Hurts and Herbert, or delay talks in general. Given that Burrow has consistently played behind one of the poorer offensive lines across the league, he is definitely more susceptible to getting hit and facing pressure. Burrow already sustained a serious injury back in his rookie season when he tore his ACL, causing him to miss the rest of the season.

However, Joe Burrow has been one of the best players in the NFL since returning from his ACL injury in 2021. He went on to lead the Bengals to their first Super Bowl appearance since 1988 while winning Comeback Player of the Year. He then followed that incredible season with another conference championship game appearance for the Bengals. More importantly, Burrow has immediately brought the Bengals back into relevancy and made them serious contenders for the upcoming future. Burrow is the best face of the franchise the Bengals have had in decades, so it's important for both sides to come to terms on a deal which will easily benefit both in the future.