Wide Receiver Drama Is Painting Bengals Into A Corner
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One thing is true with wide receivers in the NFL: they all have a strong belief in themselves. That confidence comes from then often being on an island against cornerbacks and can lead to “diva” behavior. Especially among the top players at the position. When a wideout proves they can handle their own against anyone, they believe they’re better than everyone. That’s the case for the Cincinnati Bengals star receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
Each player has had plenty of success with Cincinnati and they’re both looking for new deals this offseason. Higgins, who was taken in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft out of Clemson, has topped 1,000 yards receiving in two of his four seasons in the NFL. In all, he has 257 catches for 3,684 yards and 24 touchdowns for the Bengals.
Those numbers could be better if he was the true No. 1 wideout. With Cincy, though, that distinction belongs to Chase. Over the past three seasons, Chase has 268 receptions for 3,717 yards and 29 touchdowns in three seasons while working with his former LSU teammate Joe Burrow. Having two No. 1-caliber wideouts is a blessing, but how long can the harmony between their receivers and the team last? The Bengals must be careful to keep both receivers happy.
Especially now that it’s time for Higgins to get paid. Even as the No. 2, Higgins has been expecting a big payday, whereas the Bengals are hesitant to fork out the cash. Of course, this has been the norm under team owner Mike Brown, but at least this time, there’s a reason. Cincinnati is concerned that giving Higgins the money he’s asking for (and deserves) could result in them being unable to pay Chase long-term.
The Bengals now find themselves in a tough spot since they had to franchise tag Higgins to keep him from leaving in free agency, which was widely expected. He’s due just slightly north of $21.8 million this year — which is fully guaranteed. The two sides can agree to an extension but have to do so by July 15. For Cincinnati, that also becomes problematic since the tag — and guaranteed salary in 2024 — means Higgins and his camp are starting at an average of $21.8 million per season.
Or at least they were.
By dragging their feet, the Bengals allowed Houston to get ahead of them. The Texans signed Nico Collins to a three-year extension worth $72.75 million. That’s an average of $24.25 million per year for a player who hasn’t been nearly as consistent as Higgins. This means Higgins’ salary demands are likely closer to $24 million per season now. Or they could use Jaylen Waddle’s recent extension as the new floor.
Waddle signed with the Miami Dolphins on Thursday, agreeing to a three-year deal worth $84.75 million with $76 million guaranteed. That’s $28.25 million per year with $25.33 million per season guaranteed.
With Chase, due to make closer to the three-year, $96 million deal A.J. Brown signed, it becomes nearly impossible to see the Bengals keeping both receivers. Sure, Joe Burrow said he believed the team could keep all their stars, but the reality is when everyone wants to get a top-of-the-market deal, someone is going to get left out. In this scenario, it will be Higgins.
If they’re not careful, their issues with Chase and Higgins could become an issue into the regular season. Both wideouts are already not attending OTAs. While these workouts are voluntary, it’s also fair to assume they’re using this as a negotiating tactic.
Instead of allowing the problem to continue to grab headlines, the Bengals should have attempted to send Higgins elsewhere before the NFL Draft. Doing so would have given them the capital to replace their No. 2 wideout. Now, they might not have a choice but to wait things out.
Having said that, they could still put an end to the drama by trading Higgins now and using his $21.8 million to extend Chase. Again, this would have been ideal to do before the draft. In the Stefon Diggs trade, the Buffalo Bills were able to land a second-round pick from Houston. Higgins is much younger than Diggs, so it’s not unreasonable to believe he could have brought a first-round pick to the Bengals.
Instead, they seem set on using Higgins in 2024, then risking losing him in free agency in 2025. If that’s what happens, they’ll be looking at an underwhelming third-round compensatory pick in 2026 as their expected return. Waiting has done nothing but cost them and in the end, they could come out major losers in this season and beyond if they don’t act quickly.
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