Ja’Marr Chase is fresh off chasing a historic Triple Crown season (127 receptions, 1,708 yards, 17 touchdowns)! While the Chiefs missed their third, Chase made sure to hit the 3s. And now, deservedly so, he is staring down a contract that could make him the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history. And you better believe Joe Burrow is watching closely. “He works really hard for it. He’s obviously a great player, great person,” Burrow said. Translation? Pay the man.

But Cincy’s front office has a monster decision on its hands and the price tag? A cool $40 million per year if they want to keep Ja’Marr in stripes… and JB happy!

This isn’t just about money. It’s about legacy, Super Bowls, and keeping one of the league’s deadliest QB-WR duos intact. Burrow has already been vocal about wanting both Chase and Tee Higgins locked up long-term. But let’s be real—the numbers are brutal.

Chase’s market value has exploded past $40M per year, while Higgins, who’s expected to get the franchise tag, could easily fetch $30M+ on the open market. And let’s not forget Joe Burrow’s $55M annual paycheck. Add it all up, and the Bengals are about to spend an absurd amount just to keep their offensive core intact. Can they afford it? More importantly—can they afford not to?

Paying Chase means committing nearly 15% of the salary cap to one player. That’s a massive chunk, especially when Cincinnati still needs to figure out extensions for key guys like Trey Hendrickson and Logan Wilson. This isn’t Madden—you can’t just throw money around without consequences.

Locking in Chase at $40M would limit free agency flexibility, potentially weaken depth, and force some tough decisions on the defensive side of the ball. But if you let him walk? You risk watching Burrow’s most dangerous weapon leave town.

Here’s where it gets messy—Ja’Marr Chase almost had a deal locked in before last season. As Fox’s Jordan Schultz reported: the WR was willing to sit out games to get what he wanted. Instead, he bet on himself, put up a historic season, and now? The price just skyrocketed. With Justin Jefferson resetting the market at $35M per year, Chase isn’t just looking to top that—he’s looking to shatter it. Good luck with that…

Cincinnati either pays up now or risks a holdout that could derail their season before it even begins.

The Bengals’ Super Bowl window is open—but for how much longer? Their offense is built around Burrow, Chase, and Higgins, but keeping all three feels nearly impossible. Something’s got to give. The Who Dey’s getting anxious… Plus, the market won’t wait, and neither will Chase.

Well, Joe Burrow has a plan for the front office to keep Ja’Marr Chase

Joe Burrow isn’t just Cincinnati’s franchise quarterback—he’s its blueprint guy. On the field, he’s dissecting defenses. Off it? He’s studying salary cap structures. And he’s made it clear: he’s willing to restructure his contract to help keep the Bengals’ core together. Burrow’s already looking past the $275 million paycheck. His focus? Making sure Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Trey Hendrickson don’t become cap casualties. Because what’s a quarterback without his weapons?

Burrow laid it all out during an appearance on Pardon My Take: convert money into signing bonuses, push cap hits down the road, and free up space now. It’s not magic—it’s just smart business. “The Eagles are paying everybody,” Burrow pointed out. “That seems like the way.”

Translation? If Philly can keep its stars while paying Jalen Hurts, why can’t we do the same? The Bengals have a $45.9 million cap cushion for 2025, but with Burrow’s $46.3M hit looming and multiple stars needing extensions, something more is required.

And here’s the kicker—Burrow isn’t just talking. He’s ready to act. “Of course,” he said when asked if he’d restructure. No hesitation. No qualifiers. Just a quarterback doing whatever it takes to keep his offense intact. The question is: Does the front office feel the same way? Because Ja’Marr Chase is staring at a $40M payday and Tee Higgins isn’t taking a discount.

If the Bengals pull this off, they’ll solidify their Super Bowl window for years. Restructuring Burrow’s deal could lower his 2025 cap hit by $12M or more, giving Cincinnati the breathing room to extend Chase or even bring in another impact player. The blueprint is there—Tom Brady did it in New England, Patrick Mahomes is doing it in Kansas City—but will the Bengals follow suit? That’s the real question.

Because let’s be real: Burrow can only do so much. But he’s offering the front office an out, a chance to retain the core that took Cincinnati to back-to-back AFC Championship games. But at the end of the day, cap space doesn’t win championships—rosters do. And if the Bengals want to keep their best players in stripes, they better listen to the guy who’s been drawing up the game plan on and off the field.