On one hand, the Bengals avoided two major distractions by extending Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins in March. On the other, a franchise regularly involved in money-driven drama ran into two more such issues via the Trey Hendrickson and Shemar Stewart sagas, each dragging deep into summer. However, the club reached resolutions with both defensive ends as well.
Entering the season, the Bengals have a healthy Joe Burrow and an elite weaponry array. The superstar quarterback’s MVP-caliber 2024 season was not enough to drag a poor defense to the playoffs, and questions remain on that side of the ball. The Bengals made a coaching change in hopes of stopping the bleeding on defense, and with Burrow squarely in his prime, considerable pressure exists to avoid a third straight playoff absence.
Extensions and restructures:
- Reached four-year, $161MM extension ($73.9MM guaranteed) with WR Ja’Marr Chase
- Extended franchise-tagged WR Tee Higgins at four years, $115MM ($30MM guaranteed)
- Approved raise for Trey Hendrickson; DE now on one-year, $29MM contract
- Finalized one-year, $5MM extension for C Ted Karras
- Gave P Ryan Rehkow two-year, $2.04MM extension
- Geno Stone accepted pay cut; S now on one-year, $4.9MM contract
- Reduced Cordell Volson‘s 2025 pay; G tied to one-year, $2.6MM ($500K guaranteed)
No real doubt existed about the Bengals’ long-term Chase plans. After college teammate Justin Jefferson set the market last year, Chase would come in ahead of him and continue to thrive with Burrow. Where doubt existed involved Higgins.
Rumors for over a year pointed Higgins to a 2025 exit — via either a tag-and-trade transaction or a free agency defection. But Burrow kept applying pressure on the team to keep his overqualified WR2 in place. Not 15 years removed from their previous star-level QB (Carson Palmer) growing frustrated with a thrifty roster-building approach, the Bengals gave in and enter the season with the NFL’s highest-paid receiver duo.
By the July 2024 franchise tag deadline, the Bengals and Higgins had not negotiated in over a year. Last year profiled as a last ride for the Chase-Higgins tandem. While the Bengals rebuffed trade interest in their Chase sidekick after a slow start to the season, a November report revealed there was “little to no chance” the former second-round pick would remain a Bengal in 2025. Weeks later, Burrow went back to work on what became an all-out lobbying effort to convince the Bengals to keep the high-end starter.
During an offseason appearance on ESPN’s First Take, Burrow cited annual cap growth — to the point he referenced the league’s TV deals — as part of his pitch to the Bengals re: Higgins. It is safe to assume Burrow said more behind the scenes, and the effort appeared to crest between the Combine and the tag deadline.
Two years after shutting down Higgins trade talk at the 2023 Combine, Bengals VP of player personnel Duke Tobin said in Indianapolis the team wanted the receiver back at “the right number.” As it turned out, the Clemson alum did much better than he would have had he signed in 2023 or ’24. Fourteen years after Palmer forced his way out via a quasi-retirement threat, the Bengals listened to their quarterback’s pleas and began a process that would keep Higgins in Cincinnati.
Cincy tagged Higgins a second time, irking the receiver. After the sides were far apart on terms in 2023 — when no offer of even $20MM per year came Higgins’ way — real negotiations transpired this spring. Both the Bengals’ WR extensions showed the damage waiting too long on deals can cause, but in the franchise’s defense on Higgins, it did appear 2025 was set to bring a separation. Burrow’s relentless push also showed the power prime-years QBs carry, and it will interesting to see if others follow the Cincy centerpiece player’s lead. Because it brought results.
After not approaching $20MM AAV in 2023 negotiations, the Bengals signed Higgins at $28.75MM per year. While the Bengals kept the deal in line with their preference of no guaranteed salary after Year 1, the team did guarantee a $10MM 2026 roster bonus. Higgins, 26, also will be due a $5MM 2027 roster bonus. But the Bengals can escape this deal with just $7.5MM in dead money in 2027. Higgins will see his 2026 base salary ($10.9MM) become guaranteed on Day 5 of the 2026 league year, providing strong assurances he will be a Bengal for at least two more seasons.
Higgins was viewed as a player who could fetch $30MM per year on the open market, and the Patriots — as they have been with just about any remotely available wideout over the past two years — were interested. The 6-foot-4 receiver would have been attached to a $26.2MM franchise tag salary this season and would have hit free agency at 27 in 2026. He almost definitely could have done better by taking that route, but this one will tie the two-time 1,000-yard receiver to one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks in his prime. Chase will also continue giving his older teammate favorable matchups.
All the Higgins departure buzz that emerged from 2023 until early this year was contingent on the Bengals’ plan to prioritize Chase. Jefferson’s contract, however, made a scenario in which the Bengals could avoid future salary guarantees a nonstarter. The Vikings guaranteed their superstar LSU-developed WR $88.7MM at signing. That covered fully guaranteed compensation in two future years. With the exception of Burrow, the Bengals had avoided such commitments. Jefferson’s contract undoubtedly provided a stumbling block as the sides attempted to hammer out a deal before the 2024 season.
By waiting, the Bengals saw the price rise. Chase submitted a triple-crown receiving season, dominating as Burrow returned after his 2023 wrist injury. The cap then spiked by another $24MM. With 2021 receiver draftees Amon-Ra St. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Jaylen Waddle and Nico Collins being extended in 2024, Chase was a lock to come in much higher. And with wideouts and pass rushers suddenly competing to land the top non-QB contract, the Bengals saw their mission become a multifront fight. The Browns’ four-year, $160MM Myles Garrett extension, rather than Jefferson’s 2024 payday, ended up establishing the Chase floor.
Chase, 25, was eyeing $40MM per year before the Garrett windfall surfaced. Seeing as the Bengals were planning all along to pay their top weapon, the Garrett deal — as strange as it looks — crystalized Chase’s price point. The Bengals unveiled their WR extensions on the same night, and Chase’s re-up breaks with team precedent.
Cincinnati guaranteed Chase’s 2026 salary, and the All-Pro secured a rolling guarantee structure. If on the Bengals’ roster on Day 5 of the 2026 league year (which he will be), Chase locks in his $30MM 2027 base salary. The Bengals even threw in a rolling guarantee involving 2028 money; if Chase is on Cincy’s roster by Day 5 of the 2027 league year, $7MM of his ’28 money locks in.
It would have behooved the Bengals to do these deals in 2024, but they have placated Burrow by paying one of the best one-two receiving punches in recent NFL history. That should satisfy their perennial MVP candidate for a while.
Burrow also lobbied the Bengals to extend Hendrickson, doing so at multiple points in 2025. That proved a more complicated situation compared the receiver contracts. On-and-off extension rumors circulated, with intermittent trade buzz factoring into this process. But the Bengals never appeared willing to break with their precedent on future guarantees for a 30-year-old defensive end.
Even with Hendrickson winning the 2024 sack title by posting a second straight 17.5-sack season, he never received a Bengals offer that included guarantees beyond Year 1. A familiar Cincinnati stalemate ensued as a result.
With Higgins higher in Cincy’s extension queue, Hendrickson received permission to seek a trade just before free agency. The Commanders and Falcons were among the interested teams, but the Bengals naturally set a high asking price. It was believed the team wanted more than a first-round pick for its sack ace. The prospect of paying a 30-something top-market money and surrendering a first-round pick grounded this trade market early, and the eight-year veteran became rather vocal about this Bengals standoff.
From OTAs, Hendrickson said the Bengals had broken off talks; this came after executive VP Katie Blackburn called upon the disgruntled defender to be happy with the offer he had received. We later learned the Bengals never reached $35MM per year — the price Danielle Hunter narrowly exceeded on his one-year Texans bump — and topped out at a backloaded three-year, $95MM proposal. That offer did not include any guarantees past Year 1, leading to a holdout, a hold-in and more trade rumors.
Despite the Steelers guaranteeing T.J. Watt $108MM at signing on just a three-year extension, Hendrickson (who is two months younger) could not secure a comparable offer. The Bengals’ second round of trade talks did not appear to produce anything close to a swap. As was the case in the spring, teams viewed Cincy’s trade ask as unrealistic. This left Hendrickson in a bind. Rather than miss regular-season games in protest — as he had threatened to do — he took the team’s late-emerging raise offer. That will at least pause this drama.
While the Bengals gave Hendrickson a $14MM raise for 2025, they could still use the franchise tag on their top defender next year. It would be a pricey tag (more than $34MM), but the Bengals have both tagged a player on a veteran contract (A.J. Green, 2020) and unholstered a tag on another (Tee Higgins) after reporting pointed to a free agency exit.
It would not surprise to see the organization cuff Hendrickson next year. The ex-Saints third-rounder had signed a one-year, $21MM extension in 2023 in fear of a 2025 tag. It is quite possible the sides’ feud resumes with the Bengals keeping the talented D-end off the 2026 market via the tag.
In lower-profile Bengals extension business, Karras agreed to a one-year deal for a second straight offseason. The veteran center’s one-year, $6MM bump from 2024 had him under contract for this season; his $5MM agreement will extend the partnership through 2026. The Bengals have separated from the other two free agency additions brought in after the 2021 Burrow sack avalanche, cutting La’el Collins in September 2023 and Alex Cappa in March 2025. Karras, 32, has endured.
The third-generation NFLer has started all 34 Bengals games over the past two seasons and has been a starter for the past six NFL campaigns. An ex-Bill Belichick-era Patriots contributor-turned-starter, Karras has two Super Bowl rings. He initially joined the Bengals on a three-year, $18MM pact in 2022. He has outlasted all his O-line mates from that division-winning season and, now on a third Cincy contract, will line up between two newcomers this season.
Volson will not factor into this Bengals season, being placed on season-ending IR after suffering a shoulder injury. The Bengals had demoted the former fourth-round pick late last season and had him on the roster bubble after the offseason pay cut. The 48-game guard starter will head to free agency on a down note.
Free agency additions:
- T.J. Slaton, DT. Two years, $14.5MM ($5MM guaranteed)
- Noah Fant, TE. One year, $2.75MM ($1MM guaranteed)
- Oren Burks, LB. Two years, $5MM ($750K guaranteed)
- Samaje Perine, RB. Two years, $3.6MM ($400K guaranteed)
- Lucas Patrick, G. One year, $2.1MM ($200K guaranteed)
- Mike Pennel, DT. Signed 9/1
- Dalton Risner, G. Signed 8/28
Cutting Cappa opened a starting guard spot. The Bengals are set to use third-rounder Dylan Fairchild at left guard, and they have cycled through unappealing RG options. Patrick and Cody Ford waged a competition during training camp. While Patrick is slated to open the season as the starter, Risner is aboard. And the seventh-year blocker, for all his issues convincing a team to pay him starter-level money, has a history of taking over on short notice.
After four seasons in Denver, Risner did not see his 2023 free agent market take off. He settled for a one-year, $2.78MM Vikings deal — one that did not emerge until September. Risner moved into Minnesota’s starting lineup after the team traded Ezra Cleveland to Jacksonville. The Vikings did not re-sign him until May 2024, and a pay cut even from the 2023 terms emerged.
Playing on a one-year, $2.41MM pact, Risner started eight games last season. After being activated from IR, Risner finished off a 19-game Minnesota starter run. Pro Football Focus graded the former second-round pick as the No. 22 overall guard last season.
Risner, 30, appeared on Cincy’s radar in April and took an August visit. He did not sign until after the preseason slate. This will apply pressure on Patrick, 32, after beating out Ford for the job. Patrick started 10 Saints games last season, ranking as PFF’s No. 37 guard. He played mostly center in two prior seasons (in Chicago). Risner at least gives the Bengals another option in case Patrick falters; the team will need a patchwork solution while hoping Fairchild can be a long-term answer.
Fant joining Mike Gesicki rounds out what might be the NFL’s best pass-catching corps. Still 27, Fant has six years’ experience as a team’s top tight end. The Seahawks had re-signed him on a two-year, $21MM deal in 2024 but cut him before this past training camp. Fant has two 670-yard receiving seasons (both in Denver) on his resume. To put that in perspective, the Bengals have not had a 670-yard TE season since Jermaine Gresham in 2012.
The Bengals now have two members of the 2019 Broncos’ draft class, but Fant did not prove as good of a fit in Seattle — a team with a deeper receiving corps — as he did in Denver. The Russell Wilson trade component did not eclipse 500 yards in any of his three Seattle seasons. With Gesicki signed beyond 2025, this profiles as a bounce-back opportunity — one he chose after also meeting with the TE-needier Dolphins and the banged-up Saints — for his new backup.