After failing to make the playoffs this past season, the Cincinnati Bengals are facing a crucial off-season. It began with the firing of defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, who was replaced by Al Golden, who returns to the NFL after a successful stint at Notre Dame, which ended with a loss to Ohio State in the CFP National Championship Game.
On the personnel side, the one to watch involves both Tee Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase. Higgins will be a free agent after playing on a franchise tag in 2024. Joe Burrow has been lobbying for his return after Higgins played on a franchise tag this past season. If the Bengals obliged and re-sign Higgins and also extend Ja'Marr Chase, whose contract will expire in 2025, both players could cost up to $70 million in cap space.
Can notoriously frugal Bengals even afford to pay that kind of money on two receivers?
Ja'Marr Chase's looming contract extension makes Tee Higgins return to Cincinnati unlikely
Chase alone could cost up to $40 million a year by himself. But the Bengals can't afford to lose him. He has been far more productive and explosive than Higgins has been. The contract extension with Chase took place last year and the Bengals offered a record deal. But Chase turned it down over guarantee money payment timeline. It could be another long negotiation that could take up the entire off-season.
Besides Chase's contract extension, they also have to worry about extending their pass rusher Trey Hendrickson, who led the NFL with 17.5 sacks this past season. Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin in a recent interview acknowledged he deserves a contract extension though his age (30) could work against him.
“Has he earned a pay raise and a bump in an extension … he has,” Tobin told the Cincinnati Enquirer. “We’re cognizant of that, and we will give that to him. But whether we agree on what that looks like is, is what is to be determined.”
There is no way Al Golden would take the job if there were no assurances that they will upgrade their defense this off-season. Golden alone can't work miracles. They need to add several pass rushers to help Hendrickson. Their secondary, which has not been the same since Jesse Bates left for Atlanta, could use more reinforcement. Let's not forget offensive line could be upgraded considering the amount of hits Burrow has taken and games he has missed since entering the league in 2020.
Even if they lose Higgins, the Bengals should count on third year receiver Andrei Iosivas to step up or draft another receiver in the NFL Draft in April to replace Higgins' production. Extending both Hendrickson and Chase no matter how expensive it might be must be Tobin's highest priority, which means they must wave good bye to Higgins this off-season.