Cooper entered the league with the Rams in 2016, and he showed promise in the return game as a rookie. His follow-up campaign proved to be the best of his career on special teams, as he racked up 1,421 all-purpose yards while averaging 27.4 kick return yards. The former fourth-rounder earned a Pro Bowl nod along with first-team All-Pro honors that season.
The South Carolina product’s run with the Rams came to an end following an ankle injury in 2018. That marked the beginning of a span in which he bounced around the NFL while trying to remain a standout returner and carve out a role on offense. In the latter regard, his best season came in 2019 (243 yards, one touchdown on 25 catches) while splitting his time between the Cardinals and Bengals.
Cooper went on to spend the 2020 season in Carolina before joining the Giants the following season. His last game action came in 2022 when he returned to Arizona; in all three stops he saw sparse offensive usage while serving as the his team’s returner. For his career, Cooper racked up over 3,900 return yards and averaged 9.2 yards on punt returns and 23.6 yards on kick returns.
“Farewell football, I’m officially retiring from the NFL,” his retirement announcement reads in part. “I appreciate all the love and support I’ve received from my family, friends, and fans through out my career. Much love.”
Cooper will hang up his cleats at the age of 29. A veteran of 76 combined regular and postseason games, he amassed roughly $4.77MM in career earnings. After a full season away from the game in 2023, he will turn his attention to his post-playing days.
Ja’Marr Chaseis among the wideouts eligible for a new deal who elected to remain absent from his team’s OTAs. The Bengals Pro Bowler is in attendance for Cincinnati’s mandatory minicamp, however.
The likes of CeeDee Lamb(Cowboys) and Brandon Aiyuk (49ers) have set themselves up for fines by choosing to skip out on minicamp, but Chase has elected to take the opposite route. The latter, to little surprise, chose to wait for Justin Jefferson to sign his Vikings extension before taking part in serious Bengals negotiations. With his former LSU teammate having reset the market, Chase can now proceed on that front.
Cincinnati has a pair of key decisions to make at the receiver position, of course, with Tee Higginson track to play under the franchise tag. He has not taken part in extension talks for over a year, though, leading to serious questions about his long-term Bengals future. Regardless of if Higgins is retained beyond 2024, Chase will no doubt be a central figure in the team’s long-term plans. The 24-year-old is on the books through 2025 via the fifth-year option.
The Jefferson accord (carrying an historic AAV of $35MM) includes higher guarantees than Chase’s camp expected. It should help the bargaining power of all ascending wideouts around the league, and Chase is among those with the production to warrant a similar deal to Jefferson’s. Cincinnati has enjoyed the Chase-Higgins duo for the past three years, but a major investment to coincide with the one made in Joe Burrowwill be needed to keep it intact.
The Bengals are not known for making long-term investments featuring guaranteed money deep into the pact, but that should be required to hammer out a Chase deal. Talks can take place now that he is back with the team, although it would be surprising if an agreement was reached any earlier than training camp next month.
The most recent update on the Ja’Marr Chasecontract situation indicated he and the Bengals would wait forJustin Jefferson‘s extension to be signed before working out their own. With that important domino having now fallen, Chase’s status will again garner attention.
Jefferson met his target of topping all non-quarterbacks with respect to AAV on his Minnesota pact ($35MM). The extension also puts him in a tier of his on the topic of guaranteed money, with nearly $89MM locked in at signing and $110MM in total guarantees present. Especially considering the Bengals’ history as it pertains to long-term contracts, the structure of the Jefferson accord is significant.
Chase’s former LSU teammate secured guarantees (either in full or in part) for all but the last season of his monster pact. That represents a noteworthy long-term commitment on the part of the Vikings, one the Bengals have traditionally avoided with respect to guaranteeing multiple years of a deal. Quarterback Joe Burrowis of course an exception, and it will be interesting to see if Chase can join him on that front.
The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. reports the guarantees present in the Jefferson accord (more so than its value) were “eye-opening” (subscription required). Chase – along with Cowboys standout CeeDee Lambis eligible for a deal similar in AAV at a minimum, although Jefferson may serve as the receiver benchmark for quite some time. Increased talks between Lamb and Dallas are expected in the immediate future as he skips out on mandatory minicamp.
Chase (who was absent from the start of OTAs) could follow suit, but in any event Dehner adds the Bengals have the option to remain patient. Cincinnati made the obvious decision to pick up the 24-year-old’s fifth-year option this offseason, keeping him on the books through 2025. Receivers have generally not landed massive extensions until after their fourth year, but 2024 has offered exceptions in that respect.
Having amassed 3,717 yards and 29 touchdowns in 45 games, Chase certainly has a case to secure a deal rivaling that of Jefferson. As Dehner reports, however, there is an expectation that inking a deal this offseason would involve Chase’s camp ceding “more than a little” in contract talks. Waiting until another spike in the cap ceiling (coupled with another wave of receiver deals near the top of the market) could, coupled with another strong season, help Chase’s leverage.
Of course, Cincinnati must approach Chase negotiations with the status of fellow wideout Tee Higginsin mind. The latter is on track to play on the franchise tag in 2024 (although he has yet to sign the $21.82MM tender), and a commitment beyond the coming season would complicate a Chase pact. The status of both pass-catchers will remain worth watching closely.
As the Bengals navigate the Tee Higgins situation, they have another star wideout who’s awaiting some financial security. Ja’Marr Chase is now eligible for an extension, and when the Bengals opened their organized team activities on Tuesday, the receiver was not in attendance.
While Chase’s absence is surely connected to his contract situation, it sounds like Cincy’s hands are currently tied. As ESPN’s Ben Baby points out, Chase and the Bengals are “in a holding pattern” while both sides await Justin Jefferson‘s inevitable extension with the Vikings. As Baby notes, even before Chase was eligible for an extension, the wideout was pointing to Jefferson’s impending deal. The Bengals have continued to make it clear that signing Chase is a priority for the organization, so it’s more a matter of when than if Chase signs a deal.
There isn’t as much urgency in Cincinnati as there is in Minnesota. Jefferson is heading into the final season of his rookie deal, so the Vikings would have to play the franchise-tag game if the two sides can’t hammer out an extension. After predictably having his fifth-year option picked up, Chase still has two years remaining on his rookie contract, so he has the luxury of seeing how negotiations unfold with his former LSU teammate.
Chase, Jefferson, and Cowboys star receiver CeeDee Lamb will be looking to reset the wide receiver market. Amon-Ra St. Brown and A.J. Brown‘s recent extensions pushed that value past a $30MM average annual value. Brown currently paces the position in AAV ($32MM) and total guarantees ($84MM), two marks that will surely be pushed down the list once that aforementioned trio inks their next contracts.
Considering the front office’s commitment to Joe Burrow, Chase’s next deal will further limit the organization’s ability to spend. We’re already seeing this upcoming extension’s influence on the Bengals’ handling of Higgins, so some cost certainty could go a long way for the front office.
Although the “deadlines spur action” disclaimer applies, no signs point to the Bengals reaching an extension with Tee Higgins by the July deadline. Higgins stands alone among this year’s tagged contingent, as the seven franchise players and transition-tagged Kyle Dugger have since been locked up long term.
Going more than a year without talking terms covers most of Higgins’ time as an extension-eligible player. The Clemson alum became eligible for a long-term deal in January 2023. As it stands, the Bengals may be in the early stages of a rental arrangement.
The Bengals have Higgins tied to a $21.8MM franchise tag. Higgins, 25, has not signed his franchise tender and joins Chase in staying away from Bengals workouts. It should not be expected Chase’s sidekick resurfaces anytime soon. Jessie Bates‘ 2022 run on the franchise tag involved the standout safety staying away well into training camp; Higgins and Bates share an agent. The fifth-year receiver cannot be fined for a failure to report due as long as he refrains from signing his tender.
Should Higgins and the Bengals not come to terms by July 15, the sides cannot resume negotiations until season’s end. The Bengals would have the option of re-tagging Higgins, at 120% of his 2024 salary, in 2025. That would make for an interesting plan, as receiver salaries skyrocket — to the point Chase should be in commanding position when this year’s round of deals wrap. This would certainly not go over well with Higgins, who would be denied multiple key windows to capitalize on his earning potential. That said, the Bengals could retain their WR2 for $26.2MM in 2025.
That would be a lofty cap number, especially as Joe Burrow‘s cap hit spikes from $29.6MM to $46.2MM, but the Bengals are projected to hold — several months out, at least — more than $45MM in cap space next year. Going by the pace of these negotiations and the statuses of Burrow and Chase, the prospect of Higgins being cuffed once again should not be discounted.
With Amon-Ra St. Brown, A.J. Brown and Jaylen Waddle signing extensions, Higgins’ price stands to rise. Even if Higgins could be on track for a second-tier WR contract, this year’s early deals will help his cause — whenever he enjoys the chance to negotiate. The Bengals not going near $20MM per year in 2023 would suggest the sides would not be close now, especially after Higgins’ underwhelming 2023 (656 receiving yards, five touchdowns).
The Bengals’ history with the franchise tag furthers evidence Higgins is highly unlikely to be extended this year. Prior to Higgins, Cincinnati has tagged 10 players since the tag’s debut in 1993 — Bates, A.J. Green, defensive end Michael Johnson, kickers Mike Nugent and Shayne Graham, tackle Stacy Andrews, defensive lineman Justin Smith, running back Rudi Johnson, wideout Carl Pickens, D-tackle Dan Wilkinson); only two (Johnson, Pickens) signed an extension with before that year’s deadline. The Johnson deal transpired back in 2005. (Nugent also circled back to an extension the following year.) While Higgins is obviously a central piece in the Bengals’ Super Bowl quest, his 12-plus-month negotiating wait continues.
Several extension-eligible receivers are skipping out on OTAs as they try to exert their leverage for new deals. To no surprise, that list includes Ja’Marr Chase.
The Bengals opened their organized team activities on Tuesday, and ESPN’s Ben Baby notes Chase was among the players not in attendance. The three-time Pro Bowler is in his first year of being eligible for an extension, though he is on the books through 2025 with his fifth-year option having been picked up. As a result, Chase is on track to collect $21.82MM next year.
His annual earnings on a multi-year pact will of course be much higher. Chase, along with the likes of Justin Jefferson(Vikings) and CeeDee Lamb(Cowboys) is a candidate to reach the top of the receiver market on his next pact. Amon-Ra St. Brownand A.J. Brown‘s respective extension pushed that mark past $30MM per season; Brown’s AAV sits at $32MM.
As expected, fellow Bengals wideout Tee Higginshas not yet signed his franchise tag. As a result, he is not eligible to take part in the team’s OTAs. Higgins remains in Cincinnati’s long-term plans, but keeping him in the fold would require a lucrative commitment in addition to the one forthcoming for Chase and the one made last offseason to quarterback Joe Burrow. The latter has resumed throwing, but he will work with a notably different array of receivers this spring if Chase and Higgins remain absent.
Veteran Tyler Boyddeparted in the Bengals in free agency, taking a one-year Titans deal as his former team plans for an expensive Chase-Higgins tandem. The latter’s future remains in the air, but the latter has cemented his status as one of the league’s top wideouts at any age. Chase, 24, has amassed 3,717 yards and 29 touchdowns in regular season play, adding a combined 45-588-3 statline in two playoff runs. Even with Burrow attached to a $55MM-per-year deal, keeping him on the books for the long haul will be critical to Cincinnati’s offense.
Team and player have plenty of time to hammer out an agreement in Chase’s case. The Bengals’ actions with Higgins will no doubt be a critical short-term consideration, but regardless of what happens on that front the former Offensive Rookie of the Year is positioned to cash in on his next deal. It would come as a surprise if he participated in Cincinnati’s remaining voluntary workouts without an agreement in hand, though Chase could return for mandatory minicamp in June and training camp the following month.
The Bengals’ 2024 season was dealt a major blow when Joe Burrowwas shut down due to a torn wrist ligament. His latest ailment threated to cause missed time in the offseason, but that has not turned out to be the case.
Burrow resumed throwing in the early portion of Cincinnati’s offseason program. Unlike most teams, the Bengals have yet to start OTAs. When they begin tomorrow, however, Burrow will be participating. In terms of workload in any one session, there will notably be no restrictions.
“We designed the whole thing to stay within the constraints of where the medical people think he should be and where he wants to be right now,” offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher said (via the team’s website). “Nobody is sitting there with a special pitch counter. But we’ve been smart how we put it together.”
It would come as no surprise if the team took a cautious approach with Burrow this summer, and Pitcher’s comments confirm his rehab is being taken under consideration regarding his workout schedule. The Pro Bowler has dealt with injuries on a regular basis during training camp, rehabbing his ACL tear in 2021, undergoing an appendectomy the following year and dealing with a calf strain in 2023. A fully health training camp would certainly be welcomed by both team and player this time around.
The Bengals’ offense will have a number of new faces in 2024, with Pitcher replacing Brian Callahan as OC (although head coach Zac Taylor will retain play-calling duties). Longtime running back Joe Mixonis no longer in the fold, nor is veteran receiver Tyler Boyd. Expectations will nevertheless remain high for Burrow if he manages to put together a healthy campaign. Cincinnati managed a 9-8 finish last year despite Burrow missing seven contests.
That mark was insufficient for a playoff berth, but a return to the playoffs will not be out of the question if Burrow can regain his previous form in 2024. The 2021 Comeback Player of the Year’s health status will remain worth watching closely as the summer unfolds, but he will be taking starter’s reps at OTAs in a positive sign for his long-term outlook.
Representation in Super Bowls has not stretched wide in the AFC over the past decade. Since 2013, all of four franchises — the Broncos, Patriots, Chiefs and Bengals — have represented the conference in Super Bowls. The NFC in that span has produced seven Super Bowl entrants.
Since 2001, QB-driven graphics regarding Super Bowl participation primarily feature four faces — those of Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger and Patrick Mahomes. An AFC team employing a QB outside that quartet has only reached the Super Bowl three times (2002 Raiders, 2012 Ravens, 2021 Bengals) in 24 seasons. As the NFC has rolled out 21 Super Bowl QB starters since Brady’s first appearance, it has been quite difficult for outsiders to forge a path in the AFC.
This space used to ask which team was best positioned to KO the Patriots in the AFC. The Chiefs ended up getting there, first loading up around Mahomes’ rookie contract before assembling a low-cost (but highly effective) defense to help a team suddenly limited — beyond the Mahomes-Travis Kelce connection’s enduring brilliance — following the Tyreek Hill trade. As the Chiefs aim to become the first team since the mid-1960s Packers to threepeat (part one of Green Bay’s offering occurred before the Super Bowl era), which conference challenger is best built to disrupt their path back?
The AFC North appears a good place to start. The Ravens open the season with an Arrowhead Stadium trek and held the AFC’s No. 1 seed last season. Lamar Jackson skated to MVP honors, and Mike Macdonald‘s defense led the league in scoring. But familiar issues resurfaced for the team in the AFC championship game. An oddly pass-focused Baltimore effort ground to a halt, as Jackson committed two turnovers. Macdonald has since departed — the first Ravens coordinator to leave for a head coaching job since Gary Kubiak in 2015 — and ex-Baltimore linebacker Zach Orrmoved into the DC post. The team also lost three starters up front. Although quiet in free agency (in terms of outside hires) beyond the splashy Derrick Henryaddition, the Ravens added likely cornerback starter Nate Wiggins in Round 1 and kept Justin Madubuike off the market via the franchise tag and a quick extension.
Cincinnati has shown superior mettle against Kansas City since Joe Burrow‘s arrival, beating the Chiefs thrice in 2022 before falling as both teams battled key injuries in the January 2023 AFC title game. The Bengals losing Burrow in November removed a key obstacle in the Chiefs’ path, but the NFL’s highest-paid player is back. The team also retained Tee Higgins, being the only team left to have a player on the tag, and added new tackles inTrent Brown and Amarius Mimsto join Orlando Brown Jr. The team revamped its safety corps by bringing back Vonn Bell and adding ex-RavenGeno Stone. Not many glaring issues are present in Cincinnati’s lineup, with longer-term matters — the receiver situation chief among them — the top roster storylines here.
Creeping into the playoffs despite a host of high-profile injuries on offense, the Browns showed their roster strength by shrugging off the injuries to Deshaun Watson, Nick Chubb and their tackles. Cleveland acquired Jerry Jeudy via trade and then extended him, and other than adding some Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah supporting pieces at linebacker, returns the starters from a No. 1-ranked pass defense. Watson’s struggles, for the most part, since arriving via trade will continue to define where the Browns can venture.
Although the Bills parted with Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis, looking past Buffalo — a four-time reigning AFC East champion that defeated the Chiefs in three straight seasons in Kansas City — would probably be a mistake. The Bills made some cost-cutting moves, most notably disbanding its seven-year safety duo of Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer (though Hyde remains in play to return), and saw concerning form from Von Miller following his second ACL tear. The Bills also lost Leonard Floyd in free agency. Focus will understandably be aimed at Buffalo’s WR crew, which now housesCurtis Samuel, second-rounder Keon Colemanand ex-Chief Marquez Valdes-Scantling(who certainly places a premium on QB talent). The Chiefs’ issues staffing their wideout spots last year provided a lingering problem; will the Bills make a higher-profile addition down the line?
With their backs to the wall, the Joe Douglas–Robert Saleh regime will count on Aaron Rodgers belatedly delivering. The duo may or may not have attempted to strip power from OC Nathaniel Hackett, who is coming off a brutal two-year stretch. The Jets effectively replaced Bryce Huff with a more proven rusher inHaason Reddick and added Mike Williamsas a supporting-caster on offense. The team will hope its pair of 33-year-old tackles — Tyron Smith, Morgan Moses — holds up, while Olu Fashanu looms as a long term tackle piece and potential short-term guard. Can the Jets do enough offensively to capitalize on their defensive nucleus of the past two seasons?
The Texans sit as a fascinating piece of this puzzle, given their outlook going into the first three seasons of Nick Caserio‘s GM tenure. After low-key offseasons from 2021-23, Houston added Diggs and a few notable defenders to the DeMeco Ryans-led roster. Danielle Hunter and Denico Autry join ex-Ryans 49ers pupil Azeez Al-Shaairas key defensive additions. Although Diggs struggled down the stretch in his final Bills season, he certainly played a lead role in elevating Josh Allen‘s stature. The Texans, who have C.J. Stroud on a rookie deal through at least 2025, will hope the Pro Bowler pairs well with Nico Collins and the returning Tank Dell.
Miami and Jacksonville’s roster equations figure to change soon, as respective extension talks withTua Tagovailoa and Trevor Lawrenceare ongoing. The Dolphins have faded badly under Mike McDaniel and did not seriously threaten the Chiefs in a frigid wild-card game, though they have obviously shown elite offensive capabilities in the right environment. Handing the play-calling reins to OC Press Taylor in 2023, the Jaguars did not build on a strong 2022 finish. The Steelers also present one of the highest floors in NFL history, and they have upgraded at quarterback by adding two options — in Justin Fields and likely starterRussell Wilson. But they also have not won a playoff game since the six-field goal offering against the Chiefs — a game that represented the final shove for Kansas City to trade up for Mahoemes — seven years ago.
The Texans emerged from the NFL’s basement last season. Is there a stealth contender lurking? The Chiefs’ division does not look particularly imposing, once again, though Jim Harbaugh now overseeing Justin Herbert is certainly an interesting development. The national championship-winning HC has authored turnarounds everywhere he has gone.
No team has qualified for five Super Bowls in a six-year period, and none of the Super Bowl era’s threepeat efforts have reached the final stage; the 1990 49ers came closest, losing on a last-second field goal in the NFC title game. Who is poised to be the best Chiefs deterrent on their path to a threepeat? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your AFC thoughts in the comments section.
This offseason has brought changes to the wide receiver market, but a host of wideouts chosen early in the 2020 draft have taken center stage. Most NFL teams have authorized a big-ticket (by today’s standards) deal for a wide receiver. Ranked by guaranteed money and excluding rookie contracts and accords acquired via trade, here is the most lucrative WR deal in each franchise’s history.
Larry Fitzgerald‘s seven-year, $113MM extension (August 2011) holds the Cardinals standard for total value, but Hopkins’ pact checks in higher in terms of guarantees and AAV.
In total, Michael Crabtree‘s 2018 deal (worth $21MM) and Derrick Mason‘s 2005 agreement ($20MM) surpass Beckham’s. But the 2023 Baltimore rental’s guarantee came in higher.
The Browns have featured three higher-paid receivers on their roster since Landry’s contract, but both Odell Beckham Jr. and Amari Cooper arrived via trade and played on contracts designed by other teams. Jerry Jeudy‘s AAV ($17.5MM) on his 2024 extension also outpaces Landry’s, though the recent trade pickup’s total guarantee falls short here.
JuJu Smith-Schuster‘s 2023 deal trails Agholor’s in AAV but carried the same full guarantee. Danny Amendola‘s full payout ($28.5MM) in 2013 tops both deals.
Allen Lazard‘s 2023 deal and Santonio Holmes‘ contract back in 2011 brought more in total value ($44MM and $45MM, respectively) but did not match Davis’ for guarantees.
Mike Evans; March 9, 2018: Five years, $82.5MM ($55MM guaranteed; $38.26MM guaranteed at signing)
Chris Godwin‘s 2025 deal beats Evans’ for at-signing guarantees ($44MM); his 2022 deal did as well. Godwin’s 2025 deal also tops Evans’ in AAV ($22MM). The all-time Bucs receiving leader’s 2024 agreement, however, leads the way in total guarantees.
Tee Higgins has yet to sign his franchise tender and doesn’t intend to. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Bengals wide receiver is not expected to sign the tender by next week, meaning he won’t be able to participate in the team’s upcoming OTAs.
Higgins can’t join the team until he signs the tender, the lone leverage he has during his ongoing quest for a new contract. The two sides have until July 15 to agree to a new deal. Otherwise, Higgins would be connected to the $21.82MM salary for the 2024 campaign.
After getting slapped with the franchise tag, Higgins requested a trade out of Cincinnati. The receiver later admitted that he’d likely play out the 2024 campaign with the Bengals, although that was mostly due to his lack of alternatives vs. any progress in contract talks.
Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow extension and its plans for a Ja’Marr Chase payday — its top WR priority — have led many to believe that a Higgins extension is untenable. We heard last month that Bengals didn’t approach a $20MM average annual value in their latest offer to Higgins, cutting off the talks relatively quickly. The two sides didn’t discuss guarantees, although that was reportedly an issue between the parties last summer.
As Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic points out, the current Higgins holdout is an “exact replica” of Jessie Bates‘ standoff with the Bengals in 2022. Bates ended up holding out until August, right before the signing deadline for franchise tenders. The safety played out the 2022 campaign on his franchise value before getting a pay day from the Falcons in free agency.
It’s previously been suggested that the Bengals could treat Higgins similarly. This route would come with the understanding that Higgins would be a “rental” for the 2024 season, and the two sides would likely part ways when the receiver hits free agency next offseason.
