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Bengals WR Tee Higgins shares alarming contract update
The Cincinnati Bengals paid quarterback Joe Burrow and will eventually lock wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase down via a lucrative contract extension.
That could leave wideout Tee Higgins on the outside looking in as it pertains to securing a long-term deal with the only NFL home he's had since the 2020 draft.
"I have no clue," Higgins directly said Friday about the state of contract negotiations between his camp and the Bengals, per Ben Baby of ESPN. "My job is to come in every day and do what I do best -- work and catch the ball from No. 9 (Burrow)."
Higgins spoke with reporters less than 24 hours after it was learned that Burrow was becoming the highest-paid player in NFL history via a five-year extension worth up to $275M with roughly $219.1M guaranteed.
Chase, a two-time Pro Bowl selection who earned Offensive Rookie of the Year honors for the 2021 season, is eligible for an extension after the upcoming campaign.
It was said as far back as this spring that Higgins could be shopped either before or during the season due to the fact that the hard salary-cap system makes fitting the 24-year-old, Chase and Burrow on the same roster past February 2024 a seemingly impossible task. Higgins is in the final year of his rookie contract, and Baby reported that "a source with knowledge of the situation told ESPN that a long-term deal -- at any point this season -- appears unlikely for" the 2020 second-round draft choice.
Higgins suggested he never considered staying away from the team ahead of Sunday's regular-season opener at the division-rival Cleveland Browns to protest the lack of financial guarantees past 2023.
"If I didn't play, I could see why I wouldn't," he explained. "But me as a competitor, I want to play the game and also set myself up for the future."
As of Friday afternoon, OddsChecker had the Bengals third among the betting favorites at +600 odds to represent the AFC in Super Bowl LVIII. It sounds like Higgins won't cause any unnecessary distractions as of the second Sunday of September, but those within the Bengals may need to make calls to other teams if the situation changes ahead of the trade deadline set for Oct. 31.
More must-reads:
- Bengals make Joe Burrow highest-paid player in NFL history
- Bengals QB Joe Burrow will start against Browns
- The 'NFL leaders in touchdown passes' quiz
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Browns' Shedeur Sanders could be losing valuable opportunity after injury update
Just when it seemed everything was going right for Shedeur Sanders, the Cleveland Browns' rookie quarterback caught an unlucky break on Wednesday. The 23-year-old QB was sidelined during Wednesday's joint practice with the Philadelphia Eagles after suffering an oblique injury. Per Kelsey Russo of the team website, the 2025 fifth-round pick won't practice Thursday and is considered day-to-day. He is deemed unlikely to play in Saturday's preseason game against Philadelphia, scheduled for 1 p.m. ET on NFL Network. Before Wednesday's practice, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed rookie QB Dillon Gabriel will start against Philadelphia as long as he's healthy enough to play. The 2025 third-rounder missed Cleveland's preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers because of a hamstring issue. However, Stefanski previously said Sanders would get more reps this week after a solid preseason debut. The former Colorado Buffaloes star received the start in the 30-10 win over Carolina, going 14-of-23 passing for 138 yards and two touchdown passes. Not playing against Philadelphia could disrupt Sanders' momentum. More importantly, it may eliminate another opportunity for him to overtake Gabriel in Cleveland's four-way QB competition. Sanders is listed as the Browns QB4 behind Gabriel, Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco on the team's unofficial depth chart. Despite questions about Gabriel's size (5-foot-11, 205 pounds), the coaching staff seems to favor him over Sanders. Earlier this offseason, Gabriel's processing speed reportedly impressed Browns coaches, giving him an edge over Sanders. The former Oregon Ducks star also received reps with the first-team offense during OTAs and mandatory minicamp, while his fellow rookie didn't. If Gabriel plays well against the Eagles, that would continue to affirm the coaching staff's confidence in the 24-year-old QB. Neither Sanders nor Gabriel is expected to be the Week 1 starter for the Browns. It's likely going to be Flacco, who helped Cleveland make the playoffs in 2023 when he went 4-1 during a late-season stretch. Still, another solid preseason showing could help Sanders position himself to replace 40-year-old Flacco in the future. With the setback, it may take more time to climb the depth chart.
Phillies superstar may be building Hall of Fame case
Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber is in the midst of another impressive season. Schwarber entered Wednesday having posted a .249/.373/.578 batting line in his 528 plate appearances this season, hitting 42 homers while driving in a National League-leading 97 runs. The Phillies slugger was named to his third All-Star Game this season and, according to NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley, he should be the NL MVP. Schwarber has been one of baseball's premier power hitters since establishing himself in the majors in 2017. He's in his eighth season of hitting 30 or more homers and has reached the 40-homer plateau three times in his four seasons in Philadelphia. The 32-year-old Schwarber may find himself in elite company when his career comes to an end. He has already hit 326 homers in his career, potentially giving him a chance to reach the 500-home run plateau. If Schwarber does hit 500-plus homers, the narrative around his career may change. There have only been 28 players in MLB history to reach that plateau, 19 of whom are in the Hall of Fame. Two players — Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera — are not yet eligible and are expected to be enshrined on the first ballot. The seven players who have not been inducted into the Hall of Fame have been linked to PED use, torpedoing their candidacy. At the same time, his entire candidacy may be based on his home run total. Schwarber has a lifetime .232/.346/.499 batting line over 5,188 plate appearances; although batting average no longer carries much weight for the voters, he would have the lowest batting average of any non-pitcher in the Hall. His 20.7 fWAR has been dragged down by his defense and is unlikely to make him a favorite among the younger voters who put more emphasis on such metrics. Schwarber is marching toward the 500-home run plateau. If he does reach that mark, he could be a polarizing Hall of Fame candidate.
Giants force Jets' Justin Fields into familiar problem at joint practice
New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields was a little more accurate on Wednesday than he was in his "alarming" performance during joint practice with the New York Giants on Tuesday. Still, the fifth-year quarterback had a familiar issue pop up. Per Dan Duggan and Charlotte Carroll of The Athletic, Fields took several sacks against a Giants defense that brought the house on a shaky Jets offensive line. Via The Athletic: "On the other field, the Giants defensive front carried over its domination from Tuesday, giving Jets quarterback Justin Fields and his offensive line plenty of problems. Camp stats are subjective, especially when it comes to sacks, but the Giants appeared to get to Fields for four sacks. "Similar to Tuesday, there were moments when it was hard to tell exactly who was causing problems as the Giants sent multiple bodies in the backfield. Fields, who went 7-of-11 on the day, had a few overthrows on plays that likely were sacks." Fields did have a couple of long runs on a Giants defense that struggled against the rush in 2024. While Fields has a unique ability to add to the running game, the Jets need the 2021 first-round pick to push the ball down the field in the passing game. Fields has always had a problem with being indecisive in the pocket, leading to his taking too many sacks since entering the league. He led the league with 55 sacks in 2022 and has taken 151 in his four-year career. The Ohio State product took 16 sacks during his six starts with the Pittsburgh Steelers last season. In camp, Fields doesn't have to worry about taking body blows from sacks that lead to injuries. That will happen in the regular season if he plays how he practiced on Wednesday.
Commanders insider triggers major uproar with shocking roster cut prediction
Adam Peters and Dan Quinn are about to embark on some difficult decisions over the next fortnight. The Washington Commanders have just two preseason games left before cut-down day, which trims the roster from 90 to the required 53 heading into the season. Some players are roster locks. Others are fighting a losing battle. For a select few, it could still go either way. And even those who make the initial 53 might not be safe, depending on what options become available on the waiver wire. It'll be interesting to see what the future holds for many. And one Commanders insider caused a stir by naming a shocking cut candidate on his recent podcast. Commanders insider doesn't think Brian Robinson Jr. will be on the Week 1 roster Ben Standig, previously of The Athletic, who now covers the team independently, made a surprising prediction around the running back room on his Last Man Standig podcast. He thought that the emergence of seventh-round rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt could see Brian Robinson Jr. off the squad by the time Week 1 against the New York Giants rolls around. I'm gonna guess Brian Robinson is not on the week one roster. I have no insight into that … If [Jacory] Croskey-Merritt's on this team, I just don't know how you're sitting him.Ben Standig Even if Croskey-Merritt emerges as a prominent option on the rotation sooner than expected, it's hard to envisage a scenario where Robinson isn't leading the backfield charge. He's experienced and knows how to gain hard yards in between the tackles. Robinson is also a red-zone threat, as evidenced by his eight rushing touchdowns last season. More importantly, being in a contract year has brought some extra focus and urgency from the Alabama product this summer. Kliff Kingsbury and Quinn have praised Robinson for his work ethic and emerging leadership. Croskey-Merritt is blazing a trail and looks capable of far exceeding his draft status. However, removing the veteran and asking him to accumulate starting carries immediately represents a recipe for disaster. Robinson and Austin Ekeler will be the running back tandem. Croskey-Merritt is the change of pace back who could increase his influence as the campaign progresses. That's the dynamic the Commanders are working with right now, and it would be a bombshell of epic proportions if it were shaken up at this juncture. What the future holds beyond the current campaign for Robinson remains to be seen. He's out of contract and will need to perform extremely well to get another deal from the Commanders. But removing him ahead of time when there is so much at stake in 2025 is not an option. More Commanders news and analysis
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