Ja'Marr Chase, Bengals Agree to Record $161M Contract; Tee Higgins to Sign $115M Deal

Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are staying in Cincinnati for the foreseeable future.

Per Fox Sports' Jordan Schultz, Chase agreed to a record four-year, $161 million contract, while Higgins signed a four-year, $115 million deal:

Chase, a four-time Pro Bowler, had displayed his desire for a multiyear deal by staging a "hold in." He was with Cincinnati but not an active participant in training camp, and whether he'd suit up against the New England Patriots in Week 1 was thrown somewhat in doubt.

Chase appeared in all 17 of the Bengals' games and let his performance on the field do the talking. He achieved the receiving triple crown, leading the NFL in receptions (127), receiving yards (1,708) and touchdown catches (17).

The team announced last April it picked up Chase's option for the 2025 season, which guaranteed him a $21.8 million salary. All of the signs pointed to Cincinnati giving him a much bigger payout sooner or later.

Through his first three seasons, Chase had 268 receptions for 3,717 yards and 29 touchdowns. Defenses adjusted after the 24-year-old averaged 18.0 yards per catch as a rookie, but he adapted his game to lean less on the deep ball and be effective in other ways.

Throw in his strong rapport with quarterback Joe Burrow, which dates back to their LSU days, and the Bengals simply couldn't afford to lose the dynamic wideout.

As for Higgins, the 26-year-old gets a long-term extension after playing last season on the franchise tag and getting a second franchise tag earlier this offseason.

Like Chase, Higgins has been a crucial part of the Cincinnati offense. Through the first five years of his career, he has 330 receptions for 4,595 yards and 34 touchdowns.

He is coming off a season in which 73 catches for 911 yards and 10 touchdowns in 12 games.

Even with the cost for receivers getting higher and higher, you had to believe the Bengals would pay up in the end, especially with Burrow expressing his desire to keep the offense together.

Say what you will for the franchise's longstanding reputation for being extremely frugal, but handing Burrow $275 million was a sign of intent. This is an ownership regime that's starting to show some commitment—at least to a meaningful enough degree—to winning.

As key parts of the offense, Chase and Higgins aren't going anywhere. Now, the Bengals can turn their attention to defensive end Trey Hendrickson, who is seeking a new contract.