The best receiver tandem in the NFL will remain in Cincinnati for years to come.
Superstar wideouts Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins agreed to four-year extensions with the Bengals, Fox Sports' Jordan Schultz reported on Sunday.
The two players appeared to confirm the report on social media with handshake emojis, while the team also made a post on X following the news.
Chase's deal for four years and $161 million will make him the highest-paid non-QB in NFL history, while Higgins' four-year, $115-million contract will make him the highest-paid WR2 ever.
According to Schultz, $112 million of Chase's contract is guaranteed, while the first two years of Higgins' are guaranteed.
Chase surpassed Cleveland Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett — who signed a four-year, $160 million contract earlier in the off-season — to become the highest-paid non-QB.
The 25-year-old former LSU receiver has spent his entire four-year career with QB Joe Burrow and the Bengals. Last season, he led the league in receptions (127), receiving yards (1,708), touchdowns (17), yards per game (100.5) and yards per touch (13.4), becoming only the sixth player in the Super Bowl era to achieve the receiving Triple Crown.
It was no secret that Chase was looking for a major payday as early as last season, when he played out the final year of his rookie deal without an extension in place as the two sides could not come to an agreement. He even sat out of a handful of practices throughout training camp to punctuate his desires.
Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin reiterated 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.”
Chase has been a Pro Bowler in each of his first four seasons, posting totals of 395 receptions, 5,425 yards and 46 touchdowns through 62 games played. In seven career playoff appearances, Chase has 45 catches for 588 yards and three touchdowns.
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 in a Thursday night game.
Meanwhile, the Bengals used the franchise tag on Higgins for the second-straight season as they tried to get a deal done with the receiver.
“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.”
The 26-year-old 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.
Higgins was a second-round pick by the Bengals in 2020, the same season Joe Burrow was the top overall pick. Higgins has at least 900 receiving yards in four of his five seasons, and had more than 1,000 yards in 2021 and '22.
The Bengals led the league in receiving yards (4,640) and touchdown catches (43) last season. Despite the production, Cincinnati missed out on the playoffs, finishing 9-8 and third in the AFC North after a slow start to the season.
-- With files from the Associated Press
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