All throughout the 2024 NFL season, the Cincinnati Bengals had a somewhat dark cloud hanging over them, and it had nothing to do with their mediocre play. Wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins were due contract extensions, and there was doubt that the team could afford both stars.
But on Sunday night, agreements were reached with both men on extensions. Chase agreed to a four-year, $161 million extension, while Higgins got a four-year, $115 million deal.
This is a huge accomplishment for a Bengals franchise that is looking to get back on track after missing the playoffs in the last two seasons.
Higgins took to social media to react to his new deal.
— Tee Higgins⁵ (@teehiggins5) March 17, 2025
While Chase led the NFL in receptions (127), receiving yards (1,708) and receiving touchdowns (17) in 2024, Higgins logged 73 catches, 911 yards and 10 touchdowns despite being limited to 12 games.
Even though Cincinnati led the league in passing yards and passing touchdowns, it won just nine games.
The team has another problem to address - the trade demand star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson recently made. It has started talks with him on a new contract per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, and keeping him somehow is absolutely necessary if Cincinnati is to return to the NFL's upper echelon.
As recently as the 2022 season, it reached the AFC Championship Game and played the Kansas City Chiefs down to the wire before losing. The season prior to that, it narrowly lost in Super Bowl LVI to the Los Angeles Rams.
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This story was originally published March 17, 2025 at 2:30 AM.