Cincinnati can soon rejoice when it comes to the future of its dynamic receiving duo.
The Cincinnati Bengals have made significant progress on contract extensions for wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, and both deals could be finalized in the coming days, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported Friday, per sources.
Chase's long-awaited deal is expected to average over $40 million per year, according to Rapoport, which would make him the NFL's highest-paid non-quarterback, topping Myles Garrett's recent extension with the Browns.
Rapoport added that there is more work to be done, but Joe Burrow's offseason campaign of keeping the band together will soon come to fruition.
The impending deals will also put to rest subject matter that has persisted in Cincinnati dating back to last year.
Chase's desire for a new contract began permeating last summer when he sat out training camp with the hope of stimulating action. The former No. 5 overall pick was eligible for a contract extension then, and another offseason staredown was destined to happen again this summer without a new contract.
Higgins, too, nudged the Bengals last year in the form of a short-lived trade request after the club designated him with a franchise tag. The Bengals applied the tag with Higgins for the second straight year on March 3, but his new deal would also end another storyline that has persisted in Cincinnati.
Despite going into 2024 without a resolution, Chase and Higgins turned in stellar seasons for the Bengals.
Chase is coming off a historic campaign in which the 25-year-old became the fifth player in the Super Bowl era to achieve the receiving triple crown, leading the NFL in receptions (127), yards (1,708) and touchdowns (17). The fourth-year WR also set single-season franchise marks in receptions and receiving yards while matching Carl Pickens' TD record set in 1995.
Higgins, meanwhile, nearly set career-high numbers in his fifth season despite missing five games in 2024. The 26-year-old hauled in 73 catches for 911 yards and 10 TDs, which were the most scores of any player who didn't lead their team, according to NFL Research.
Burrow, of course, has utilized the Chase-Higgins duo in order to become one of the NFL's most proficient passers.
The Bengals' star quarterback led the league in passing yards (4,918) and touchdowns (43) while producing an impressive 108.5 passer rating in 2024, a career-best season which put him in the running for the AP's Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year awards. Burrow won the AP's Comeback Player of the Year award in his first season back from a major injury to his throwing wrist which required surgery.
Chase and Higgins have produced nearly 1,000 more receiving yards and 15 more receiving TDs than any other teammate duo since Chase was drafted by the Bengals in 2021, per NFL Research.
Burrow cashed in on that production in the form of a five-year, $275 million extension he signed just ahead of the 2023 season. Cincinnati prioritized Burrow's long-term deal as any franchise seemingly would, but now Chase and Higgins will soon enjoy the fruits of their labor.
More importantly for the Bengals, the impending contracts will perhaps soon allow the trio to focus on getting Cincinnati back into contention after consecutive playoff-less seasons.
