Up to this point, the Cincinnati Bengals have failed to secure three of their top players on long-term contracts, with Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Trey Hendrickson all angling for new deals. Behind closed doors, however, the Bengals intend to sign all three during the 2025 offseason, according to ESPN.
That starts with Higgins, who's started opposite Chase at wide receiver for the last four seasons. After playing under the franchise tag in 2024, the former second-round draft pick is a candidate to be tagged again. While the Bengals prefer to sign Higgins long term, Cincy is essentially willing to retain him at all costs, per ESPN, including with a $26.1 million tag to prevent him from reaching free agency.
Chase, meanwhile, is under contract through 2025, but has been seeking a long-term deal since last offseason. He's fresh off a career year in which he led the NFL with 127 catches for 1,708 yards and 17 touchdowns, and is looking to become the league's highest-paid wide receiver, per ESPN, "possibly by a wide margin." Justin Jefferson currently holds that distinction, averaging $35 million per year.
Hendrickson, the star pass rusher who led the NFL with 17.5 sacks in 2024, has also been seeking a pay raise since last offseason. Like Chase, he's technically under contract through 2025, but he also briefly sought a trade after failing to strike a new deal with the team prior to last season. He's currently due $18.6 million in 2025, but the highest-paid edge rushers average closer to $30 million per season.
