The Cincinnati Bengals are keeping the band together.
Wide receiver duo Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins have agreed terms on monster contract extensions that ensure quarterback Joe Burrow‘s top targets will be sticking around for the foreseeable future.
Chase’s extension is for four years and worth $161million, per NFL network Insider Tom Pelissero, which makes him one of the highest-paid non-quarterbacks in NFL history.
Higgins, meanwhile, has agreed to a four-year, $115m deal to keep the dynamic duo together, meaning Cincinnati will be paying a combined $276m to keep the pair.
The agreements conclude years of negotiations for each player, and will no doubt satisfy Burrow, who has been vocal in advocating for both to get new contracts.
“We have several guys who have stepped up for us and deserved to be paid,” the quarterback said back in January.
“And deserve to be paid what they’re worth.”
Per ESPN, Chase and Higgins will now have a combined average-per-year salary of $69m, which adds to Burrow’s average of $55m.
Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson reacted to the massive extension news on Sunday night, with Ocho, a former Bengals star, revealing he didn’t expect the deals to get done.
“Congratulations brother Ja’Marr Chase, and brother Tee Higgins,” Johnson said on Nightcap.
“I know Joe (Burrow) is happy, very happy, to keep that unit together. Obviously, I didn’t think it would be possible.
“I can’t break down the numbers right now in front of me, but keeping the two main guys together is a really good thing. And that’s a step in the right direction for us.
“So I’m happy for them, I’m excited. And kudos to the Blackburn family, to Mike Brown, for getting that done. Let’s get some work on that defense end now.”
Picking up on Johnson’s final point, Sharpe questioned how the Bengals will now be able to get a deal done for defensive end Trey Hendrickson, having paid Chase and Higgins so much.
“I don’t see how they pay Trey Hendrickson. He wants north of $30m,” the former tight end said.
“I don’t see how. I’m not saying it can’t be done. I just don’t see how.
“The man has 35 sacks in two years. Nobody has that many sacks in the past two years. He’s been a Pro Bowler both years. I just don’t know. Could it happen? Yes.
“The question that you have to ask yourself, Ocho, is the opportunity to go to the Super Bowl, potentially win it over the next two years, is that worth potentially being in salary cap hell in 2027, 2028?”
Johnson then jumped back in, suggesting that the Bengals can ‘avoid salary cap hell’ by restructuring some of their large contracts – but Sharpe didn’t appear convinced.
He concluded: “This is about 2025, 2026… But all you’re doing is kicking it down the road. You’re not doing anything. You’re kicking it down the road.”
While Cincinnati will have plenty of tough decisions to make in the coming years, it’s hard to argue that Chase and Higgins don’t deserve their deals.
Chase’s payday was a long time coming. He has reached a Pro Bowl in each of his first four seasons in the NFL and broke through for his first All-Pro selection during the 2024 campaign.
Last season, he also captured the receiving triple crown with 127 receptions, 1,708 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Higgins has likewise endured a lengthy road to payday.
He’s coming off his fourth season out of five with 900-plus receiving yards, having added a career-high 10 touchdown catches to bring his totals to 4,595 yards and 34 TDs on 330 receptions as a Bengal.
The 26-year-old though, has been troubled by injuries, and missed five games during the 2024 season. That likely contributed to Cincinnati twice placing a franchise tag on him.
But now, Higgins’ extension has replaced the tag, and he will stay with Chase and Burrow for the foreseeable future, as the trio look to drive the Bengals to Super Bowl success.
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