Bengals Owner Will 'Try Hard' to Sign Ja'Marr Chase to New Contract Amid Higgins Buzz

Cincinnati Bengals owner Mike Brown reaffirmed the franchise's desire to sign wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase to a long-term extension.

Brown told reporters Monday the Bengals will "try hard" to retain Chase and that "our intention is to keep" the three-time Pro Bowler.

"We are going to bend over backwards to make it happen," he also said. "I can't tell you when it's going to get done."

The organization has a well-earned reputation for being frugal, and the perception hasn't gone away despite it becoming a perennial playoff contender. Cincinnati ranked 26th overall on the NFLPA's 2024 report cards, earning grades of F-minus in treatment of facilities, food/cafeteria and nutritionist/dietician.

But the Bengals at least sent a strong message when they handed quarterback Joe Burrow a five-year, $275 million contract that made him the highest-paid player in the league. When the moment arrived, they didn't hesitate to pay a homegrown star at his market value.

That undoubtedly made the fanbase more confident about Chase sticking around beyond the 2025 season.

The Bengals' approach to Tee Higgins also feels very deliberate.

The veteran wideout was franchise-tagged in February and that was the sum total of Cincy's contract negotiations. ESPN's Ben Baby reported in May that "Higgins and the Bengals haven't had negotiations for a new contract in more than a year."

Setting up a situation where Higgins is effectively gone in a year makes sense if the Bengals are intending to preserve their long-term financial flexibility with an eye toward a Chase contract.

And if you were picking between the two, Chase is the clear candidate to build the aerial attack around. He has 1,000-plus receiving yards in each of his first three seasons, and he has evolved a bit from a dynamic downfield threat as a rookie into more of a possession receiver who takes what opposing defenses give him.

If Chase doesn't overtake the Minnesota Vikings' Justin Jefferson as the highest-paid pass-catcher in the league ($35 million), then he's going to come pretty close.

For now, that price doesn't sound prohibitive for Cincinnati.