Can the Bengals front office get it done?
With about $46 million of salary cap space heading into the offseason, many expect the Cincinnati Bengals to sign Ja’Marr Chase, who is entering the final season of his rookie contract, to a long-term deal and allow Tee Higgins to walk in free agency.
While $46 million doesn’t appear to be enough to keep the Chase/Higgins duo intact long-term, it is not impossible.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter laid out how the Bengals can keep both star wide receivers in the Queen City for years to come:
“The Bengals have approximately $46 million of salary cap space. How they allocate it will help define this and future seasons for the franchise,” Schefter wrote. “If they sign Chase to his record deal, it could include a large signing bonus and a low 2025 base salary, giving him a team-friendly cap number for this coming season that would help with Higgins. Cincinnati could work to re-sign Higgins before he becomes a free agent or put a $26 million franchise tag on him — lower than what he probably would receive on the open market.”
Using the franchise tag on Higgins for a second straight season would be far from ideal, but the first scenario Schefter lays out seems to be the best possible outcome for the Bengals.
