It finally happened! Even though most Cincinnati Bengals fans were asleep, the good news wasn't something they dreamed.
According to Fox Sports NFL Insider Jordan Schultz, the Bengals have agreed to historically large contract extensions with both Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Both are four-year deals; Chase's is worth up to $161 million – with $112 guaranteed – and Higgins' is worth up to $115. It also makes Chase the highest paid non-QB in league history.
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The deals came together over the past week, Schultz reported, and will apparently be announced more officially by the team sometime this week. However, the totally random and unrelated (win, wink)GIF of Chase and Higgins they tweeted 15 minutes after the story broke was very subtle.
Bengals agree to historic contract extensions with both Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins
Grade: A
It's hard not to like this right now. Maybe there will be a time where we all look back and regret giving two wide receivers huge contracts, but we can cross that bridge when we get there.
In four years with the Bengals, Chase has played 62 games for the Bengals and started all but one of them. He was named to the NFL's First Team All-Pro for the first time this season after leading the league in receptions (127), yards (1708), and touchdowns (17). Higgins has been with the Bengals since 2020, and in that time has averaged 80 catches and over 1,000 yards in every season since.
Keeping one of the NFL's best offensive cores together for another half decade isn't the most difficult decision to make, but credit to the Bengals for actually getting it done. There are going to be so many unused Tee Higgins Patriots photoshops that'll never see the light of day now.
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