BREAKING: Bengals set to extend wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.

The offseason has arrived for the Cincinnati Bengals, marking a pivotal moment that could shape the future of the Joe Burrow era.

Securing long-term deals for wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins is at the top of Cincinnati’s priority list. This involves negotiating an extension for Chase and working out a new contract for Higgins, who played the last season under the franchise tag. Both players are now eligible for new agreements.

Let’s start with Higgins. When no deal was reached before the season, many fans gave up hope of him signing a long-term contract with the Bengals. So why is his name still in the conversation? There are a few key reasons.

The most significant is Burrow’s own efforts to push for a deal during late-season press conferences. While the Bengals could choose to ignore that, it risks creating tension with their franchise quarterback, recalling a situation like the one with Carson Palmer in the past.

There’s actually a glimmer of hope that a long-term deal for Tee Higgins might be achievable. Higgins recently parted ways with his previous agent, David Mulugheta, who has a reputation among Bengals fans for being difficult to negotiate with, particularly due to Cincinnati’s outdated approach to structuring guaranteed money in player contracts. Mulugheta also represented safety Jessie Bates, whose own contract saga with the Bengals didn’t end favorably for the team.

Additionally, Higgins has made comments suggesting that securing top-tier wide receiver money isn’t his sole priority—he’s more focused on finding the right situation. While expecting him to take less than market value would be unreasonable, it opens the door to the possibility of Higgins choosing to stay in Cincinnati for a competitive but slightly lower deal than he might fetch elsewhere.

As for Ja’Marr Chase, he’s coming off an offseason where he staged a hold-in, seeking an extension after three years on his rookie contract. However, Chase has been clear about not wanting to negotiate during the season, which may push any discussions into the offseason.