Video: Tee Higgins 'Would Love' New Bengals Contract, Says 'This Business Is Crazy'

As Joe Burrow continues to publicly advocate for the Cincinnati Bengals to keep Tee Higgins, the star receiver is certainly open to remaining with the club beyond this season.

Speaking to TMZ Sports (starts at :30 mark), Higgins said he "would love" to stay with the Bengals but acknowledged "this business is crazy" and he will keep his options open.

It has been assumed that Higgins would sign with another team as a free agent after this season. When he was negotiating with the Bengals last offseason, Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer reported their offer "never approached" $20 million per season.

As this season has drawn closer to a conclusion, Burrow has made a point of advocating for the Bengals to keep Higgins.

"Those discussions are ongoing," Burrow said after Cincinnati's 27-20 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Dec. 9. "I'm confident that I think we're going to do what it takes to bring Tee back. ... I know that I'm going to do what it takes to get him back and so is he. We've had those talks. Those are going to be offseason discussions. But I think we're excited about that opportunity."

The situation is complicated because the Bengals also have to get a deal done with Ja'Marr Chase. He was extension-eligible last offseason and were reportedly close to an agreement before talks fell apart over some of the finer details of the contract.

Burrow is already tied for the second-highest paid quarterback in the NFL at $55 million per season. Chase and Higgins could reasonably be expected to get a combined $55-60 million per season on their next contracts.

That's a lot of money tied up into three players for a Bengals team that has a lot of roster problems, particularly on defense, to fix in the offseason. They are allowing the second-most points per game in the NFL this season.

Another problem is Bengals owner Mike Brown has a reputation for being frugal when it comes to spending money.

Whether he stays with the Bengals or signs with another team, it's safe to assume that Higgins will get a lucrative contract. He has 669 yards and six touchdowns in nine games this season.