CINCINNATI — Cincinnati Bengals wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins have agreed to terms on the long-term extensions they have wanted for years.
Chase agreed to a four-year, $161 million deal that includes $112 million guaranteed. The annual average of $40.25 million sets an NFL record for the highest average annual salary for a non-quarterback, surpassing the previous $40 million mark set by the Cleveland Browns’ Myles Garrett. Higgins, who had already been given the franchise tag, landed a four-year, $115 million deal that is guaranteed for the first two years.
The Bengals avoided any potential contract disputes from hampering the team’s offseason plans, which occurred last season with each receiver. Higgins requested a trade last year before deciding to play under the tag, and Chase conducted a “hold-in” during training camp in which he did not participate in any team activities. He ended his stalemate with the club ahead of the first game of the season.
Cincinnati’s front office headed off such issues this year and made sure quarterback Joe Burrow has his top playmakers under contract for the next few years.
At the NFL combine in February, Cincinnati director of player personnel Duke Tobin stated the team’s desire to fulfill Chase’s wish to make him the richest player who doesn’t throw the ball for a living. Higgins also successfully landed his deal after two previously failed negotiations.
Of course, this ties a lot of money up into the team’s passing attack. The salary cap hits will escalate in future years, a financial burden that will be eased as long as the cap continues to go up. But the deals make one thing very clear: Whatever the Bengals are going to accomplish in future years will revolve around one of the league’s best trios — Burrow, Chase and Higgins.
Taking a closer look, Bengals reporter Ben Baby answers four big questions about the deals while national reporter Jeremy Fowler weighs in with the buzz around the league.
What does this mean for Burrow?
As with everything surrounding the franchise, how things pertain to Burrow will always be the primary question. With Cincinnati getting deals done for his top two receivers, it means the Bengals will match their $275 million investment in their star quarterback by also retaining his top wide receivers.
It also signals the franchise ended up giving him what he wanted. Since last December, Burrow has been very vocal about making sure Cincinnati keeps Chase and Higgins, among other key players. He went as far as saying it would have been a “disappointment” if Higgins wasn’t brought back, and at some point, Cincinnati has to stop great players from leaving the building.
That has been a major sticking point when tracking the team’s failures the past two seasons. The inability to keep safety Jessie Bates III, who is now a Pro Bowler with the Atlanta Falcons, triggered the downfall of the defense. Then in 2024, defensive tackle DJ Reader signed with the Detroit Lions. And last year, Cincinnati immediately lamented the downfall of its rushing defense and cited that as a reason the unit struggled.
“We had some defensive tackle problems that kept us from being enough of a run-stopping team,” Tobin said. “We play in a division that we got to stop the run.”
Burrow’s visible public concerns have been alleviated. Which puts him in position to build on an MVP-caliber season. –Baby
Can the Bengals afford to bring back Hendrickson?
It could be hard to find a way to keep Hendrickson, who joined Chase as the team’s first All-Pro selections since 2015. Hendrickson, a four-time Pro Bowler and the NFL’s sack leader in 2024 with 17.5, is seeking a long-term deal.
For the second straight year, Hendrickson requested a trade after it became clear the Bengals weren’t interested in giving him a long-term contract. This year, the request to seek a trade was granted ahead of free agency.
However, Hendrickson remained with the Bengals after the first big wave of transactions in mid-March. Teams cited a high asking price for Hendrickson, who could fetch a first-round pick. However, it is not common for defensive players to be swapped in exchange for a top-32 pick. The last time that happened was Nov. 1, 2022, when the Broncos traded Bradley Chubb and a 2025 fifth-round pick to the Dolphins for Chase Edmonds, a 2023 first-round pick (No. 29, Bryan Bresee) and a 2024 fourth-round pick.
Hendrickson has a production profile that far exceeds his rank of 10th in annual average salary among edge rushers, per OverTheCap.com. But will a team be willing to not only part ways with a premium pick but also pay him the salary that puts him in the top tier of edge rushers, with Garrett currently setting the market at $40 million per year?
Cincinnati can find ways to lower salary cap hits to make it affordable to keep Hendrickson, but it would put a tight squeeze on the rest of the roster.
But teammate Joseph Ossai said keeping Hendrickson would be worth it.
“If we can keep a special guy,” Ossai said in March, referring to Hendrickson, “we have the same pieces. The sky’s the limit, I think …. selfishly, I’m praying we keep that special guy.” –Baby
What are you hearing around the league on the moves?
People around the league had expressed surprise that the Bengals were even going to try to pay two receivers around $70 million a year. Not that it couldn’t be done, but with Burrow already among the highest-paid players, Cincinnati would be allocating well over $100 million in cash per year to three players that can’t help a woefully under-resourced defense.
The prevailing theme in league circles is that the Bengals could have saved themselves at least $20 million or so had they extended Chase before his triple crown season of 2024. But as one AFC executive pointed out, the Bengals have a good thing going on offense and showed they are committed to winning more so than they have in the past. The problem now is that they could be very low on cash as they attempt to extend Hendrickson. If they move him, it puts a lot of pressure on the front office to support the defense through the draft. — Fowler
What does a return on investment look like?
There is no question that the Bengals will have to field a championship-caliber passing attack given the current investment on the roster.
Cincinnati now has the highest-paid quarterback and highest-paid receiver in league history. Higgins is also earning a salary higher than many other top wideouts on other teams, which reflects his value had he hit free agency.
One could argue it’s hard to ask the Bengals to exceed their 2024 output. Burrow led the NFL in passing yards (4,918) and passing touchdowns (43) and Chase won the triple crown with the most receptions (127), receiving yards (1,708) and receiving touchdowns (17) in the league. However, there is still room to grow.
Cincinnati was eighth in points per drive last season and sixth in touchdowns per drive. While solid numbers, a team with Cincinnati’s level of investment will need to improve on those marks.
That’s especially true in the fourth quarter. Last season, Cincinnati had a minus-28 point differential and was 15th in points per drive during the final 15 minutes.
It places a significant amount of pressure on not only Burrow and the receivers but also coach Zac Taylor, who is entering his seventh season. Taylor, the team’s offensive playcaller, will be tasked with maximizing the elite talent at his disposal and leading the Bengals back into Super Bowl contention.
And that is felt throughout the entire organization.
“I haven’t been a part of an offseason that’s not urgent,” Tobin said in February. “We’re trying to maximize our guys. When you have Joe Burrow, you’re trying to fit it around him and give him the best chance to have a Hall of Fame career. He’s certainly capable of that.” –Baby
Does this make the Bengals a better team?
This is the most sobering question that cuts through the euphoria of bringing back Chase and Higgins.
There’s no guarantee this actually makes Cincinnati better. Chase was arguably the best receiver in the league last season. Burrow was an MVP finalist despite being the only top-five vote-getter whose team didn’t make the playoffs. Higgins is the one who can raise his ceiling the most given the soft-tissue injuries that forced him to miss five games last year.
The deals ensure the Bengals can sustain what they have already done. For the record, that model does carry a blueprint for success.
Last season, when Cincinnati had serviceable defensive play around their star offensive trio, the Bengals were unbeatable. Cincinnati closed the season with five straight wins and miraculously flirted with a playoff berth despite having a 4-8 record at one point.
Burrow believes there’s another level he can hit. Chase and Higgins are still ascending players who continue improving each year. But for the Bengals to truly get better, everyone around them must take the next step — from the front office to the coaching staff to the 53rd player on the roster.
And believe it or not, paying Chase and Higgins actually improves the defense. Ossai explained how when he signed his one-year extension last Friday.
“It allows us to play free and just have that mindset — all we have to do is get the ball back to the offense,” Ossai said. “If you know that and 75% of the time the offense has the ball and they’re going to drive there and score it, you can do whatever you want as a defense.
“You can call the game more freely as the defensive coordinator. You can go out there and play without fear of making mistakes.” –Baby