The Cincinnati Bengals made history early Monday morning.
When the Bengals signed Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to colossal contract extensions, Cincinnati’s pair of electrifying playmakers became the highest-paid wide receiver duo in NFL history.
Few people, besides Chase and Higgins, are likely more happy, relieved, and excited about the receivers’ massive payday than Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow who will now have two of his most reliable targets in the passing game in his supporting cast through the 2029 season.
“We have several guys like [Chase] who have stepped up for us and deserved to be paid,” Burrow told ESPN at the Pro Bowl Games in January. “And deserve to be paid what they’re worth.”
Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins Contract Details Revealed for Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1) runs with a catch in the first quarter of the NFL Week 11 game between the Los Angeles Chargers and the Cincinnati Bengals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. The Chargers led 24-6 at halftime. © Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase (1) runs with a catch in the first quarter of the NFL Week 11 game between the Los Angeles Chargers and the Cincinnati Bengals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. The Chargers led 24-6 at halftime. © Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
After using the franchise tag as a placeholder to extend the negotiating window with Tee Higgins, the Bengals paid their receivers a combined $276 million.
Chase’s deal is not only the most lucrative, but it makes him the highest-paid receiver in league history, checking in at $161 million, including $122 million guaranteed, averaging out to just over $40 million per season.
Meanwhile, Higgins’ four-year pact guarantees the first two seasons with a total value of upwards of $115 million.
After the two extensions, the Bengals now have approximately $28 million in cap space remaining, this season.
Higgins and Chase have been instrumental to the Bengals’ offensive success and Burrow’s rise among the league’s premier quarterbacks. Signing them to lucrative contracts—making them among the highest-paid at their position—not only reinforces the team’s commitment to Burrow and the offense but also serves as a goodwill gesture after years of contentious negotiations with both.
Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) takes the field for the first quarter of the NFL Week 18 game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025.
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