Tee Higgins sends clear message to Ja'Marr Chase amid contract drama

If you asked Cincinnati Bengals fans a few months ago which star wide receiver would be a non-participant throughout training camp and preseason play as the result of an ongoing contract dispute, many probably would have picked Tee Higgins.

After all, it was Higgins who requested a trade away from the team at the onset on free agency because he was unhappy with the lack of a long-term commitment from the franchise. However, Higgins ultimately put his hard feelings to the side and decided to put his best foot forward for the 2024 season.

instead, it has been Ja'marr Chase who has yet to participate in practice or play in the preseason with the Bengals as he seeks an extension from Cincinnati. Considering his production over his first three seasons in the league -- over 1,000 receiving yards and a Pro Bowl selection each year -- it certainly seems like Chase is deserving of a new deal. and it's fair to wonder what the holdup is.

Tee Higgins' message to Ja'Marr Chase

Meanwhile, Higgins is understandably eager for Chase to be back out on the field lining up alongside him, but he also understands the business side of things. So, while the two communicate frequently, Higgins has no intention of pushing or rushing Chase to return.

“Obviously I talk to him all the time, like “Man, I can’t wait for you to get back out there with us; offense looking good and when you get back there, it’s gonna look even better,’” Higgins said of Chase. “So he knows that, but I let him handle his business. I don’t ask him any questions or anything like that, you know, I just let him do his thing.”

The Bengals have seemingly now managed to piss off not one, but two star wide receivers this year -- an impressive feat. For whatever reason, the organization doesn't seem to be in any rush to reward Chase for his stellar play, even though the team's plan to give Chase an enormous extension was often cited as the reason they couldn't do the same for Higgins.

Hopefully, a resolution is reached with Chase's situation in the near future, either with a deal getting done or by Chase agreeing to play under his current contract for the '24 season. The team certainly doesn't need this becoming something that stretches beyond training cam and into the regular season.