Report: Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins Near Bengals Contracts After 'Significant Progress'

The Cincinnati Bengals have made "significant progress" on contract extensions for wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, per Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

Adam Schefter of ESPN added that Chase's new deal is expected to average "somewhere in the range of $40.1 million to $41 million per year," which would make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league.

The Bengals previously picked up the fifth-year option on Chase's rookie contract, keeping him with the team through 2025.

Cincinnati also franchise-tagged Higgins for a second straight year, although the Bengals and Higgins have until July 15 to agree upon a long-term contract that would wipe away that one-year pact.

It would obviously behoove the Bengals to bring both players back long-term.

Chase just enjoyed one of the best wide receiver seasons in recent memory, catching 127 passes for 1,708 yards and 17 touchdowns. He became the sixth wide receiver in league history to pace the league in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns in a single season.

Higgins was exceptional in his own right, catching 73 passes for 911 yards and 10 touchdowns despite missing two games with a hamstring injury and three more due to a quad ailment.

Those two plus quarterback Joe Burrow piloted an offense that finished sixth in the NFL in scoring with 27.8 points per game. That trio formed the strength of a team that struggled on defense (e.g. 25th in points allowed) and special teams (e.g. Evan McPherson getting benched after going 16-of-22 in field goals).

Cincinnati's Super Bowl window could have easily taken a death blow without the Burrow-Chase-Higgins trio reuniting long-term. Now, with NFL Network reporting that the contracts could be done in the "coming days," there should be zero distractions hanging over the team's head going into the offseason program.

Better yet, two amazing talents should be back in the mix as the Bengals look to make the playoffs once again after falling short by one game last year.