The Cincinnati Bengals held their first OTA practice without top wide outs Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase, but head coach Zac Taylor remained calm about it. Higgins and Chase both skipped team drills to pursue higher contracts. Higgins, who received the franchise tag in February, has yet to sign it, while Chase is looking for a hefty deal as his rookie contract expires.
Addressing the media, Taylor seemed unfazed by their absence, emphasizing that both players were still preparing offsite. “[They] are still working hard elsewhere, and they’ll be back at the right times,” he commented.
“And the beauty is we know those guys, we know what they’re about and that they’ll be ready and focused when it’s time to come back.” Higgins, selected 33rd overall in the 2020 NFL Draft, has established himself as a reliable option for Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, with 257 receptions, 3,694 yards, and 24 touchdowns in 58 games. Despite rumors in March that Higgins intended to leave Cincinnati, he has subsequently indicated his desire to stay with the Bengals and secure a long-term contract.
“I’d love to come back,” Higgins remarked on the most recent episode of the I Am Athlete podcast. “I’ve grown as a man during the last four years here. I improved as a player and made new friends. Excellent relationships with individuals outside of the facility; the fans in Cincinnati are fantastic. So I would really love to be here.” The Bengals and Higgins have a July 15 deadline to sign a long-term contract. If they can not reach an agreement before then, Higgins will have to play the 2024 season on a one-year contract worth $21.8 million.
When asked about the possibility of being traded by the Bengals, Higgins admitted: “It would be bittersweet. I would definitely love to be here [in Cincinnati], but if that’s not the situation, then that’s not the situation.”
Similarly, Chase expects a large payoff from the Bengals. Although he is under contract until 2025 when Cincinnati exercised his fifth-year option, he appears to be hungry for a new deal. Chase is poised to sign one of the most lucrative contracts for a wide receiver in the NFL after accumulating over 1,000 receiving yards in three straight seasons. Recent contract extensions for Miami Dolphins’ Jaylen Waddle (three years, $84.75 million), Detroit Lions’ Amon-Ra St. Brown (four years, $120 million), and Philadelphia Eagles’ A. J. Brown (three years, $96 million) have only increased his expected earnings.
