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After years of back-and-forth contract negotiations, the Cincinnati Bengals have finally signed both wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to new contracts. Both Chase and Higgins’ contracts are historic in their own way.
According to reports, Ja’Marr Chase has signed 4-year, $161M ($112M guaranteed) with the Bengals, while Tee Higgins has signed a 4-year, $115 million deal. This is Chase’s second contract of his career after his rookie deal, and will become a free agent when he’s 29-year-old, putting him in line for another massive contract down the road.
Chase’s deal makes him the highest paid non-quarterback in the history of the National Football League, while Higgins’ new contract makes him the highest-paid WR2 in NFL history. Tee Higgins’ deal comes after having the franchise tag placed on him the last two offseasons.
BREAKING: #Bengals WRs Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins exclusively tell me they’ve agreed to contract extensions with the team.
Ja’Marr gets: 4-years, $161M with $112M guaranteed — making him the highest-paid non-QB in NFL history.
Tee gets: 4-years, $115M with the first two… pic.twitter.com/zbdnEDELgz
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) March 17, 2025
Chase, 25 years old, has established himself as one of the top two or three wide receivers in the NFL since the Bengals took him out of LSU with the 5th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Chase has since been named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and is a four-time Pro Bowler. Last season, he led the NFL in receptions (127), receiving yards (1,708), and receiving touchdowns (17).
Higgins, 26 years old, was taken by the Bengals out of Clemson University with the first pick in the second round (33rd overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft. While not the dominant force that Chase is, Higgins is considered to be one of if not the best second wide receiver in the league and is now being paid as such. His best season came in 2021 when he set career highs in catches (74) and yards (1,091).
With the contracts of Chase and Higgins finally settled, the Bengals can now focus on a 2025 season in which they’ll like to qualify for the postseason for the first time since 2022.