With extensions for Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, the Bengals finally silenced the persistent questions regarding their future at receiver.
Tuesday was meant for celebration as Chase and Higgins officially signed their contracts and addressed the media. It was also an appreciation for the receivers' quarterback, Joe Burrow, who spoke up in support of both of his wideouts getting compensated and staying put in Cincinnati.
For more than a year, most everyone has focused on the future when discussing the Bengals. Chase was always going to reset the receiver market, and it was highly likely Cincinnati would do whatever was necessary to keep him, but Higgins' future was much less certain. The Bengals franchise tagged him 2024, turning the season into a prove-it year for Chase's running mate while also keeping alive the questions regarding Higgins' outlook.
Burrow started fielding questions regarding the duo as the 2024 season neared its end. He responded with surprising confidence, stating he believed Cincinnati would find a way to keep both. A little more than a month later, Burrow's wishes came true.
"I think it was a big help; him just putting out little information, having our back," Chase said of Burrow's influence on negotiations. "I think that's the biggest thing, especially coming from a quarterback. It's different if me and Tee [are] vouching for somebody else, but for our quarterback to vouch for us, I think that's given us a pathway to get us where we got here."
It's not often a team is able to keep two top-tier receivers by handing them lavish extensions. But remaining teammates was always the goal for Chase, who corrected reporters when they referred to Higgins as a WR2, adjusting the term to wide receiver 1B.
"I really was not trying to let Tee go, for me," Chase said. "I don't know about Joe, but it's hard when you out there and Tee's not out there, you know what I'm saying? Just not easy at all. So, like, Tee out there, it makes my job easier, I make his job easier, we make a running back's job easier. The whole game slows down for me, it gets easier for some people. So he's a big help."
With Burrow, Chase and Higgins all under contract for the next four years, the Bengals are squarely in their Super Bowl-contending window. They've already reached the stage once, but have been denied a return trip, with injuries and defensive inadequacies plaguing them. The latter was true in 2024, eliciting legitimate questions on why Cincinnati would dedicate such a large sum of money -- $69 million per year -- to two pass catchers when they could use such cap space to improve a defense that was so leaky that the Bengals lost four games in which their offense scored 30-plus points.
With the Bengals' best pass rusher, Trey Hendrickson, also in line for a new deal, the team gave him permission to seek a trade this spring. A realistic market has not emerged for Hendrickson, though, giving Cincinnati reason to believe it might be able to work out a deal with him, too.
"Definitely would like to see Trey back with us and get what he deserves," Higgins said. "He's been a great part of our defense for the past few years. I would definitely like to see Trey back on the team."
The Bengals still have time to attempt to improve on the defensive side. They know they're restocked and ready on offense.
Now that the finances have been handled, the trio can stop answering questions about contracts and focus on the most important on-field goals: returning to and winning a Super Bowl.
"It's possible -- we did it already -- we know what it smells like, you know," Chase said. "We did it when we didn't even think we was gonna be there, if I'm being honest. We know what it takes to get there, we gotta start off faster and not even just start off faster, just be ready -- for anything."
