“I actually think they probably get both of these guys done.”
The Cincinnati Bengals are working to get new deals done for star wideouts Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase, but how soon could one of them get done?
With NFL free agency opening and neither deal getting done, it’s fair to wonder if we don’t see an extension for either player reached until the summer. Remember, Higgins has until July 15 to get a new deal done for Higgins before he has to play on the one-year franchise tag.
As for Chase, the Bengals plan to make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL, which is going to be at least $40+ million annually following Myles Garrett’s new deal, and there’s a chance Micah Parsons could top that with the Dallas Cowboys.
So…will these deals get done?
In an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show (via Joe Goodberry), NFL insider Ian Rapoport gave a positive update on the Bengals’ contract talks with Chase and Higgins, saying he believes both deals get done, but it may take a bit with Chase.
“I think he probably does (get up to that $40 million mark), and I don’t get the sense that the Bengals are that far from it now,” said Rapoport, who later added, “The Bengals would like it done immediately, and they’ve offered really close to that (number). But if you’re Ja’Marr Chase, it sounds to me like he’s like, ‘I got time. There’s no rush.’”
Rapoport later, “I actually think they probably get both of these guys done,” referring to Higgins and Chase.
While it sounds like we may be waiting a bit on Chase, it’s good to hear the Bengals are trying to get it done and sound willing to pay him that $40+ million annually.
Let’s just hope the Higgins deal comes sooner rather than later.
