The Cincinnati Bengals have one of the best wide receiver duos in the NFL with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. That much we know.
The question is, how much longer will the Bengals be able to keep them?
Cincinnati slapped a franchise tag on Higgins earlier this offseason, preventing him from reaching free agency. The club has until mid-July to reach a long-term deal with him, and if the two sides can’t get something done by then, the Bengals will have to repeat the process next year.
Meanwhile, Chase just became eligible for a contract extension.
So, where does Cincinnati stand with both players?
Bengals executive vice president Katie Blackburn says that the team is taking its time with Chase, who is the better of the two wide outs.
“We haven’t started,” Blackburn said, via Kelsey Conway of The Cincinnati Enquirer. “That’s sort of the next thing is just to piece together some of those things to consider and give it some thought. And like I said, I can’t say for sure where any of it will go. But we certainly are going to study up on it and see what we can figure out to try to get the best result we can for the club one way or another.”
Higgins recently asked for a trade, but the Bengals are not obligated to grant his wishes. He is still under contract with the team, and even if Cincy is unable to strike a long-term pact with him, it will more than likely keep him on the roster through 2024 as it tries to contend for a Super Bowl.
But can the Bengals realistically keep both Chase and Higgins for the long haul? Financial constraints will certainly make it challenging.
“We like these guys,” said Blackburn. “We have to work within the salary cap. So we have to figure out what that will mean, and how it can all stay together. That’s just what we have to work on and see where it takes us.”
It’s important to note that quarterback Joe Burrow is already making $55 million annually, so signing both Chase and Higgins to lucrative long-term contracts may prove to be relatively impossible.
We’ll see what happens in the coming weeks and months.
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