The Cincinnati Bengals have agreed four-year extensions with receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
It will make Chase the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history, earning $161 million, including $112 million guaranteed, while Higgins will get $115 million, as reported by Fox Sports.
Last season Chase led the league in receptions (127), yards receiving (1,708) and touchdown catches (17). He was just the sixth wide receiver in the Super Bowl era to achieve the receiving triple crown.
Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin said recently at the NFL scouting combine that he wanted to make Chase one of the highest-paid players in the league.
“Ja’Marr is always going to be our priority,” Tobin said. “He’s a fantastic football player. He’s going to end up being the No 1 paid non-quarterback in the league. We’re there. Let’s get it done.”
Wide receiver Tee Higgins has also signed an extension with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Chase leads the league in receiving touchdowns (46), third in receiving yards (5,425) and sixth in receptions (395) since being the fifth overall pick and AP Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2021.
He was an All-Pro selection for the first time in 2024 after having three games with at least 10 catches and 177 yards. That included 11 catches for 264 yards and three touchdowns in a 35-34 loss at Baltimore.
Higgins was tied for sixth in the league this past season with 10 touchdown catches. He also had 73 receptions for 911 yards and averaged 12.5 yards per catch.
His best game last season was against Denver, when he had 11 receptions for 131 yards and three touchdowns.
“You can pull up three years ago, talking about doing a long-term deal with Tee and here we are today, still talking about doing a long-term deal,” Tobin said. “Whenever I’m in charge of a football team, I want Tee Higgins and so I’m going to do what I can to get Tee Higgins.”
