Chase wants to be the NFL’s highest non-quarterback, and the Browns just handed that title to Myles Garrett.
The Cincinnati Bengals and paying top players big money hasn’t always been a pairing that has gone together. However, they did make Joe Burrow the highest-paid player in the NFL for a time and may look to set another benchmark for Ja’Marr Chase.
Taken fifth overall in the 2021 NFL Draft, Chase has blossomed into arguably the best receiver in the NFL and could go down as the best receiver in Bengals history. His rookie contract is soon coming to an end, and the team is hoping to make him the highest-paid non-quarterback player.
That’s got a new definition, though, with the Cleveland Browns inking Myles Garrett, one of the league’s best pass-rushers, to a deal worth around $40 million annually.
Meanwhile, the #Bengals — who have publicly stated they’ll make Ja’Marr Chase the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL — now have a new bar to clear, with the division rival #Browns signing Myles Garrett to an extension worth $40 million a year …
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 9, 2025
With Garrett staying in the division and TJ Watt in Pittsburgh, having elite weapons to help the team’s offensive line not having to block for as long is necessary for Burrow and company to have success. However, keeping Chase and the crew together will have its own hurdles.
Having already placed the franchise tag on Tee Higgins, the Bengals may be paying him over $26 million this season unless a long-term agreement is reached. As for Chase, he went for a league-best 1,708 receiving yards last season, winning the triple crown with 127 receptions and 17 touchdowns, all of which led the NFL.
Chase has eclipsed 1,000 in every NFL season and has topped 1,200 yards in three of his four. He has been a Pro Bowler in all four, won the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2021, and also has been nominated to the All-Pro team.
It has been a stellar career for the 25-year-old, and it’s time to get paid. Let’s see what Chase and the Bengals agree upon when the time comes, but the goal clearly is to make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.
