The Cincinnati Bengals have agreed to terms on contract extensions with star wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, per Jordan Schultz.
Entering the 2025 offseason, Cincinnati’s top priority was retaining their star receiving tandem, Ja’marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Chase has another year left on his rookie contract, while Higgins received the franchise tag for the second consecutive year earlier this month. But now, the grueling negotiation process to keep both of Joe Burrow’s weapons in Cincinnati has concluded. Chase’s extension is a four-year contract worth $161 million ($40.25 million AAV), including $112 million guaranteed. Higgins’s extension is also a four-year contract worth $115 million ($28.75 million AAV).
The Bengals built this impressive duo through the draft, and it only took them two years to establish their current passing attack. In the same draft they found their franchise quarterback in, Cincinnati also struck gold by selecting Higgins in round two. He immediately found success in the NFL, reaching 900 receiving yards as a rookie and topping 1,000 yards in each of the next two seasons. Despite injury-riddled seasons in 2023 and 2024, Higgins has continued to develop into a downfield threat that defenses can’t stop with another stud on the opposite side of the field. With his new contract, expectations for consistent production will be higher than ever.
Although they landed Burrow and Higgins in the 2020 NFL Draft, Cincinnati found themselves picking at the top of the draft again in 2021. Chase was selected with the fifth overall pick and had the extraordinary opportunity to play with the same quarterback in college and the NFL. This combo didn’t skip a beat, and they were as dangerous with the Cincinnati Bengals as they were with the LSU Tigers. Chase set the record for most receiving yards by a rookie with 1,455 yards on 81 receptions, scoring 13 touchdowns. This level of dominance has continued for four seasons now, and it seemed obvious from the start that Chase would end up earning a contract extension like this. Expect the Bengals’ passing game to be as lethal as we’ve grown accustomed to for the rest of the 2020s.
Author: Trey Kroll (@TreyK_FB)
