Bengals have the last laugh after paying for Ja'Marr Chase & Tee Higgins

Last offseason, the Cincinnati Bengals were victims of viral detextualization, a term coined by Meadowlark Media’s Amin Elhassan a couple of years ago. 

The Bengals merit their fair share of criticism. And we have constant reminders like the NFLPA grades and the national media, always there to remind us of every past misstep and, somehow, the future ones as proof.

One reason some mocked the Bengals last offseason was for the idea that they couldn't sign their first-round draft pick or resign their top stars to new contracts. However, they did both of those things, only to subsequently receive more mockery for spending too much on their wide receiver room.

As it turns out, the Bengals should not have been derided but commended by franchises and players for being the team at the forefront of giving lucrative deals to two top wideouts on the same team. They have made it possible for more receivers around the league to earn more money while also giving other teams the green light to spend more at the position.

Now, all of a sudden, paying that much to have Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins on their roster is starting to look like an absolute steal.

Several receivers now cost more than Chase or Higgins in cap space

Cincinnati’s top allocations for the wide receiver position this season go to Higgins and Chase with $26.5 million and $26.1 million, respectively.

However, several players account for more than Chase or Higgins do against their teams' salary caps.

The most surprising leader in the clubhouse, as far as cap hits for wide receivers go, is Tampa Bay Buccaneers Chris Godwin's $33.6 million against the cap. Detroit’s Amon-Ra St. Brown and Pittsburgh’s D.K. Metcalf are our second and third, taking up $33.1 and $31 million, respectively, in their teams' cap space.

The Cowboys’ George Pickens is taking up the fourth-most cap space among receivers with a $27.3 million charge, before finally landing at the best receiver in the NFL’s best duo’s number at $26.5 and 26.1 million for Higgins and Chase, respectively. 

Bengals spend most on WR room, but one has caught up, while others close the gap

While the Bengals are not spending the most cap allocation on one wideout, they still lead the NFL in total wide receiver spending at $63.5 million and 21.15% of the team’s salary cap. And yet, it still looks cheap compared to the other teams, not creeping, but leaping to where they are. 

The rival Pittsburgh Steelers have entered the chat, joining the Bengals at the $63 million mark with the acquisition of Michael Pittman Jr to their roster. 

The Steelers are paying just as much for their wide receiver room as Cincinnati is, even though they are paying only eight players, whereas the Bengals are paying 10.

Furthermore, there are not many, if any, analysts who would put Metcalf and Pittman first, second, or third in the NFL as the best receiving duo.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are spending $57.2 million on their wide receiver room, which Chris Godwin and Mike Evans lead. 

The issue here is that Evan is no longer with the Buccaneers and now plays for the San Francisco 49ers. Yet, he still accounts for $13 million of Tampa Bay’s cap space.

The Dallas Cowboys are fourth in dollars spent on wide receivers, at $56.8 million. George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb lead their receiving corps, and are the only receiver duo that could give Cincinnati's stars a run for their money, according to Tee Higgins himself.

Sitting in fifth with the most money spent on wide receivers are the Buffalo Bills, who recently acquired D.J. Moore from the Chicago Bears.

They are spending $49.9 million on their receiving corps, led by Moore and Josh Palmer. However, the Bills would pay double for Cincinnati's receivers. 

Chase is arguably the best receiver in the NFL, although Pro Football Focus ranked him fourth after the 2025 regular season. PFF also ranked Higgins 21st overall. In their top 32 wide receiver rankings, DJ Moore was nowhere to be found. 

And even Buffalo’s owner doesn't believe in their young wideout Keon Coleman.

Remember when re-signing Tee Higgins was a bad idea? 

Now that draft season is upon us, paying both receivers looks even better. The Bengals do not need to target a WR with the 10th overall pick. 

As the team tries to improve its defense, it can use its most significant draft capital, such as a first-round pick, on defense. 

The Bengals could be in the market for another receiver via the draft anyway. Two seasons ago, they ill-advisedly selected Alabama WR, Jermaine Burton, in the 3rd round. 

If they want some more firepower for that room from this year’s crop of prospects, they can go about that on Day 3 rather than on Days 1 or 2. In that case, may we recommend the Bengals head back to Baton Rouge and consider Aaron Anderson with their fourth-round pick, or the extremely underrated Barion Brown in the 6th or 7th round? 

Furthermore, as we have seen with the Steelers, Buccaneers, and others, the price of good wide receivers keeps rising, while no team, other than maybe the Cowboys, can boast of receivers as good as the Bengals'.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, keeping both Chase and Higgins was a good idea because that’s what Joe Burrow wanted. And for that, having both receivers on the roster now is priceless.

Bengals WR spending worth every dollar

Now, not only is having the best wide receiver duo in the league looking like a bargain, but other teams are lining up behind them to do the same on their roster.

The Bengals are spending the most money in the NFL on their wide receiver room, but it is money well spent, despite the perceived lack of funds for the defense.

But even if you don't agree that Cincinnati should be spending as much, it could be worse. Your favorite team could be the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are spending just as much on their wide receiver room, but are half as good.

Oh yeah, and they still don't know who their quarterback is going to be. So there's that.