With a trio of star offensive players on rookie contracts, the Cincinnati Bengals were able to build a dominant roster that carried them to Super Bowl LVI. They ultimately fell short of winning a championship, and the bill has come due.
Since Super Bowl LVI, Cincinnati’s roster has slowly disintegrated. Departures of key defensive players — such as defensive tackle D.J. Reader, cornerback Chidobe Awuzie and safety Jessie Bates III — contributed to Cincinnati’s poor defensive performance in 2024. Now, the Bengals could lose even more talent.
If the Bengals want to remain competitive in the same conference as the Kansas City Chiefs, they’ll have to find a way to retain their offensive talent. Although quarterback Joe Burrow is locked into a long-term deal, wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are poised to command top-tier deals this offseason.
Ja’Marr Chase is focused on setting records despite looming contracts
An offseason of contentious contract negotiations likely looms, but Chase already has his sights set on lofty goals for the 2025 season. The 24-year-old led the league in receptions (127), receiving yards (1,708) and touchdowns (17), but there is still room for improvement. Chase was targeted 175 times, and he sees those 48 targets that didn’t result in a catch as missed opportunities.
"I had [175] targets," Chase told Bengals reporter Geoff Hobson. "I have to catch it more. Be like Mike Thomas."
In 2019, New Orleans Saints wide receiver Mike Thomas tallied 149 catches for 1,725 yards and nine touchdowns on 185 targets. Thomas finished with an 80.5 percent catch rate, which is notably higher than Chase’s 72.6 percent catch rate in 2024. While it may not seem like a significant difference, those additional receptions could have been the difference between leading the league and setting NFL records.
Higgins’ departure could lead to more targets for Chase, but it wouldn’t necessarily lead to more production. Defenses were forced to account for Higgins’ presence, which helped open up opportunities for Chase. He would see more defensive attention without the dynamic threat at the No. 2 spot, which could hinder his productivity.
The Bengals weren’t able to agree to a long-term deal with Higgins last offseason, and he ultimately played the 2024 season on a franchise tag for $21.8 million. Cincinnati is expected to franchise tag Higgins for the second consecutive year, which would come with $26.1 million salary if they cannot agree to a long-term extension by the deadline in July.
Chase will likely top Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson’s record-setting four-year, $140 million contract. That could make it difficult to retain both wideouts, especially since Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson is also looking for a new contract after recording a league-high 17.5 sacks. Hendrickson projected to earn an average annual salary of approximately $30 million by Spotrac.
Cincinnati is projected to have roughly $49.4 million in salary cap space, but they could increase that figure if needed. Burrow’s base salary can be converted to a bonus to save $19.2 million in cap space, and new deals for Chase and Trey Hendrickson could drastically lower their current cap hits with void years.