It appears the Bengals have made good on recent rumblings as Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports reports that Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins exclusively informed him that they’ve agreed to contract extensions to stay with their team. 
Schultz reports that Chase will receive a four-year, $161MM extension with $112MM guaranteed, while Higgins’ deal is for four years and $115MM. The first two years of Higgins’ contract — an undisclosed amount, at the moment — will be guaranteed, as well. The early predictions of the two’s contracts combining to eclipse $70MM per year is not quite accurate, as they appear to combine to equal $69MM per year.
Chase’s deal surpasses that of Browns defensive end Myles Garrett, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history. Higgins’ contract reportedly makes him the highest-paid WR2 in NFL history, surpassing Miami’s Jaylen Waddle. While Higgins would move up two spots from the 10th-highest paid receiver in the league to the eighth-highest, Chase’s catapult up to the top of the list moves him back down to the ninth-highest paid receiver in the NFL. Only the Dolphins (Tyreek Hill & Waddle) match them with two in the top 10, and the Commanders (Deebo Samuel & Terry McLaurin) and the Buccaneers (Chris Godwin & Mike Evans) join with two in the top 20.
We saw major progress as this week started with Chase and Cincinnati far apart on extension terms before producing “significant progress” two days ago. Chase had turned down a Bengals offer this year, but after the team was unable to extend him before the 2024 season, the market shifted quite a bit. After the Raiders eclipsed Justin Jefferson‘s previous non-QB AAV mark by paying Maxx Crosby $35.5MM per year, the Browns gave Myles Garrett a whopping $40MM per annum to back off his trade request. By getting these signings of Chase and Higgins done, the Bengals avoid the price driving up even more, as T.J. Watt, Micah Parsons, and Aidan Hutchinson could all adjust that number again this offseason.
Once the exact numbers and structure come through, we should become aware of just how much the Bengals’ cap situation has improved — and it should be a significant improvement. Cincinnati was sitting at just over $26MM in cap space before these two deals transpired. Higgins’ $26.2MM franchise tag cap hit should disappear, as should Chase’s $21.8MM fifth-year option cap hit; both will be replaced with new, much lower cap numbers that will rise in the later years of their new contracts.
By securing Chase and Higgins for another four years, Cincinnati has locked down a receiving duo that has combined for 658 catches for 9,112 yards and 74 touchdowns over the past four years. During the time the two have played together, they have combined to account for 44 percent of quarterback Joe Burrow‘s completions, 56 percent of Burrow’s yardage, and 58 percent of his touchdowns. With Burrow locked in through the 2029 season, as well, the potent Bengals offense doesn’t appear to be going anywhere.
And Cincinnati better hope that their prolific offense continues to produce. A big reason why the Bengals failed to make the postseason in 2024, despite Burrow leading the league in completions, passing yards, and passing touchdowns and Chase winning the receiving Triple Crown, was a defense that ranked 26th is points per game and 25th in yards per game.
While Chase and Higgins are celebrating their new extensions, star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson continues to reside in limbo waiting for any developments on his extension or trade potential. Cincinnati reportedly wants at least a first-round pick for the 30-year-old pass rusher and perhaps more, though rival execs view that ask as “ridiculous.”
Hendrickson’s issues with his contract situation date back to a trade request a year ago, similar to Higgins. Higgins made the savvy move of dropping his representation and pairing up under Chase’s agency, making it clear that a Chase deal was not possible without a Higgins deal, as well. Hendrickson, on the other hand, seems to have been left in the cold here, as the extensions reported today will make it extremely difficult for Cincinnati to give a long-term pact to him, as well.
Regardless, Bengals fans can let out a long sigh of relief knowing that Chase, Higgins, and Burrow will be around to continue putting up record offensive numbers in the years to come. Whether dedicating $124MM per year to three offensive players will ultimately handicap a team desperately needing to improve on defense is to be determined. For now, though, Cincinnati can take pride in being sure it’s done what it can to make its stars happy.
$40.25 mil per for Chase and $28.75 mil per for Tee. Bengals spending some money!
And yet remained the same. The extensions were pretty much inevitable but maintained status quo.
Higgins is not worth that type of money. He benefits playing opposite of Chase and even then his numbers aren’t anything special.
He’s worth it, if it keeps Burrow in Cincinnati.
If Higgins had hit the open market, I’m convinced somebody would have given him $35M/yr.
You can say he’s not worth the $29M/yr the Bengals gave him, but the market is what it is.
And he would be cut the following season
I thinking winning is the only thing that will keep Burrow in Cincinnati.
And they aren’t going to win with a top 10 worse defense in the league.
Everyone who says this hasn’t watched the offense when Tee isn’t in there. I’d agree he’s probably not a top 10 receiver on his own but he’s definitely in the 10-15 range forsure
You are entitled to your opinion. But he is not even close to the top 15 annually. Even when he has played ful years he was no better than 20th statistically. And that was back in 22 and has not been healthy since them drop him further down the list of WR significance. He is not better than some of the TEs out there right now (Bowers/Kittle). More explosive? Sure I can give you that. Better? It is debatable.
“He benefits playing opposite of Chase”
Good thing it looks like he’ll be playing alongside him for the foreseeable future!
People seem to forget Hiigins was very good before Chase got there and people said they should take Sewell as well because we had a 1.
He was serviceable . He put up average numbers under a thousand and just over does not fall in the “very good” category.
In your rookie season it does, where the backup QB played a lot.
More like Chase benefits when Higgins is there. If you watched the games, their offense wasn’t as good without Higgins.
Bingo.
If there was any other option you could say the same thing . Their 3rd WR is not putting up numbers when needed.
Wr2 is a hard position to have depth at. Higgins is elite. We will now never know. lol
It’s like a puzzle piece. They tried to replace him with the knucklehead they drafted last year, but it wasn’t happening. They have different skill sets and are better together.
Exactly. Usually teams just hire has been veteran talent. Just hoping it comes together. It almost never does. Having a legit wr2 is how teams win championships.
dougd Defense wins championships!!!
This is so inaccurate it’s laughable.
Higgins is a #1 WR playing #2 because it’s a good situation.
Laughing at math. Wr1 wr2. lol
He is a high 2 you would never put him before Chase even if Chase was on a different team.
Ridiculous comment. Chase would be the #1 on like 25-30 other teams. It doesn’t make Higgins a #2 on those teams.
They both decided they never want to win a championship. I was really hoping Chase would’ve left Cincinnati as a free agent. He would’ve looked great in a Bears uniform. Ja’Marr and Stefon Diggs usually the WRs I put on my Madden franchise team. Plus I create a WR and TE.
Taking less money to win ships is a dastardly thing. Most people have dignity. Others stay pad offense in garbage. lol
You sound like Woody Johnson – – comparing NFL to Madden game.
Miss
No idea who Woody Johnson is. Not comparing anything. Just saying it’s a shame that neither of them want to win. They’ll never win with Burrow as the QB.
Woody Johnson is the Jets owner that used Madden ratings to evaluate players and also used it to decide whether to accept trades or not. I disagree on your Burrow take. They’ve already made it to a Super Bowl with him and it’s not been the offenses fault that they haven’t won.
Lol Burrow easily could’ve won MVP last year.
Whoa, bet every over on bengals games this year. Ash d and hot o.
They were going to go heavy on D in the draft anyway.
Every pick needs to be defense but they have oline issues and no special RB either.
So many holes that the draft won’t be able to fill.
You have to build offense now and hope defense creates accidental stars. No need building 2 less than stellar sides. Ask drew. He knows.
Tobin is pretty good at finding talent. They need to focus all the energy on their defense though. I don’t know if Al Golden would have been my answer at DC, but I guess it’s who Taylor trusts.
A stout defense had been their ethos in the big red era. It would be nice to see them get back to balance with defense being their focus. Hard to do now with so much cap eaten on 3 gents.
They’ve gone heavy on defense the last 3 years
How’d that work out for them in 2024?
Bengals won’t win 10 games this year. Both Higgins and Chase will have great years but the Bengals will miss the playoffs
Yowza. Good on them for being true to their word that they wanted to make this happen. Bengals could have saved a ton by getting this done earlier. Here’s hoping they and Burrow can stay healthy and the new defensive coordinator can actually develop young players.
About to see Mike brown jr panhandling down on vine street after this
This time next year the Bengals will realize they need to restructure these deals so Mike Brown Jr. will be down on Vine Street hitting Madame Ruth up for some Love Potion # 9.
Solid job by the bengals – may be slight overpays but ya gotta keep Burrow happy. With the cap spikes likely to continue these contracts shouldn’t be too bad.
Now they gotta focus on defense in the draft. Maybe a couple o lineman
I think they bring in drew breez on advisory. The bengals have what it takes to create a slug fest juggernaut. They still insist on fielding a poop defense with money. Just score every time your opponent scores and you can win like drew. lol
Okay all you crybabies who pi**ed and moaned about how cheap the Bengals are and how Mike Brown is an a**hole etc etc. You gonna eat that crow with the feathers on or pluck it first? Or are you gonna keep up the whining and crying? Exactly like I said 2 weeks ago, Chase will get his 41 million and Higgins will get his 30. So the Bengals have a 55 million dollar QB and 71 million in Wideouts. And NO, Hendrickson isn’t worth 35 million dollars. He should take 25 and shut the bleep up. And no Higgins wasn’t getting #1 receiver money because he’s not a number 1.
If you saw Mike Vick pet one dog would you be like “SEE, he LOVES dogs!!! All you haters own him an apology!”
66-Your analogy lacks any kind of thought and sense, so it will be relegated to the round file where such nonsense belongs.
Clearly he is a number one considering what he just got paid and the fact that plenty of teams saw him as their top priority at WR.
Mr Impotent, I mean important.You don’t watch much Bengals football,do you? Your OPINION is dually noted and discarded as utter road apples
Watched enough to see Chase shut down with Higgins out.
Mr Self Important – So, are you watching games with your eyes closed and sound off again?
Can you imagine all the Skyline Chili they can buy with that kinda dough.
i refuse to acknowledge cincinnati chili as chili. it’s an abomination of bad meat sauce at best. absolutely wretched, and if you have it out of cincy and say that they tell you it’s better in cincy. (it’s not its just as bad)
Agreed. I traveled to a
Cindy and was so confused. You guys call spaghetti chilli ok. Overpay for Higgins but I get it. Keep your strength your strength.
Can they afford anyone else after Burrow, Chase & Higgins?
This year, yes with the now lower cap numbers in their contracts, but next year (and after) are a whole other story. One injury to those top three and it all goes out the window.
This is great for fantasy owners, and terrible for the Bengals.
And they have nobody but themselves to blame. They could’ve spent a lot less if they just did these deals when they should’ve instead of waiting this long.
Glad Bengals fans will at least get to see these guys together for another few years though and that both got their well deserved paydays.
About a couple hours away on I-74, Lou Anarumo is smiling.
CHACHING
This essentially prices out Addison in Minnesota. If you look at first two years, they’re the same. You could argue Addison was better as he did it with inferior qbs and JJ missed 7 games in 2023.
This is awful for both of these guys. Don’t know why they would not want to go to a winning team. The Bengals will never win with Overrated Joe Burrow behind the center.
You sounded like an annoyed Bears fan in your first post and now by you’re 3rd. To again. For the 3rd time to remind us that you. From the future. Are letting us know they will never win a championship.
And now it’s because Joe Burrow is overrated. Based on no facts at all besides. Well no facts showing this.
The difference between the average cost of Chase and Higgins vs Brown and Smith… 34.5-28.5 = 6M… cost of waiting to do these deals.
Now all the Bengals need to do is get a new head coach. It won’t happen but I don’t believe that Zach Taylor is a good head coach. With lesser talent he would be fired by now.
The reason the Bengals defense is so terrible is because he constantly puts pressure on them by gambling on 4th down. Pretty sure the Bengals didn’t pin their opponent inside their own 10 once last season. Mix that in with a lack of ball control run game and you have a constantly spent defense.
I once saw Billicheck choose to punt on fourth and inches on the opponents 40 yard line with Brady at QB. Coaching is a chess match and that’s why Billicheck was the best. Taylor plays the game Sorry
They should’ve paid Chase and let Higgins go. #2 WRs are fairly easy to replace in the draft. Plus they had Iosivas who has shown some promise. They could’ve drafted a WR to compete with him and saved all that money for defensive signings.
yes, there’s just not enough money in the cash register to field a decent defence at this point. Trying to win against above 500 let alone playoff teams with no defence is basically impossible in the NFL. The Bengals proved that last year.
Lol what?
Good luck getting another #2 like Higgins ever.
He’s a #1 and WAS the #1 before Chase got drafted.
The Redskins ran an offense with DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon from 2014 to 2016. Garcon who holds the franchise single season record for receptions (113, over Art Monk with 106) was WR2. This is just the one I know about. There’s been a lot of WR2 in Higgins’s category. You are running on recency bias.