“At the end of the day, I just hope I get what’s fair. Hopefully, I don’t put too much pressure on anybody, but I just want it to be fair, that’s all.” Joe Burrow‘s star wideout, Ja’Marr Chase, said this about a contract extension in the future. Though he said a lot with few words, the franchise has dropped a bombshell on him.  

The NFL Notifications dropped one of the major updates of this offseason about the Cincinnati Bengals. On March 14, they posted on X: “Bengals are currently in the process of trying to retain Trey Hendrickson. Which is the reason why deals have not been announced yet.. as could alter the structure of deals.” It’s said that the defensive end wants the contract extension. And he is in conflict for the same. As talks didn’t work out, the Bengals organisation permitted Trey to seek a trade. However, Trey Hendrickson’s heart is in Cincinnati. 

Per Spotrac, Trey Hendrickson signed a 1-year, $21 million contract with the Bengals in July 2023. Accordingly, he will earn a base salary of $15.8 million while carrying a dead cap value of $2.67M in 2025. The 30-year-old defender still has plenty left in the tank! But why is Trey the best shot for Cincinnati?

He is the top defensive end to sack an opponent’s QB in the 2024-25 season. Hendrickson has sacked 15.5 quarterbacks while making two forced fumbles and 33 solo tackles in the league. His exceptional tackling skills are gonna be worth it, but only if the Bengals give him another extension. And financially, he’s not cost-effective if Joe Burrow’s team loses him- Trey Hendrickson carries a $18,666,668 cap hit for the season. 

Alright, we will see in the near future if Hendrickson gets an extension or not. Apart from Hendrickson, Joe Burrow has done a phenomenal job in keeping the Bengals’ star trio alive. How? Let’s dive in to learn more! 

Joe Burrow’s team made Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins’ contracts concrete 

“You don’t want to make a living out of letting great players leave the building. And I think that’s why you gotta do everything you can to get those deals done early.” Joe Burrow said this on January 31, 2024, when the debates about Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins‘ contracts were showing an increasing trend. The star quarterback then showed the will to keep the trio and core of the Bengals intact for the upcoming season, too. And guess what? He has made it. 

Bengals insider James Rapien dropped a massive update when he wrote on X, “Ja’Marr Chase + Tee Higgins. Done Deal. The Bengals are finalizing long-term extensions with both star wide receivers.” The organization is in the last lap of finalizing the contract extensions of Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase. The Chase wanted a fair deal in the league, and here we are. 

According to NFL insider, Adam Schefter, “The expectation around the league is that Ja’Marr Chase’s new deal, if and when it gets done, will average somewhere in the range of $40.1 million to $41 million per year, topping Myles Garrett and making him the highest-paid non-QB in the NFL, as the Bengals said he would be.” Currently, the wide receiver is in the final year of his rookie contract, which is worth $30,819,641. Per Spotrac, $21,816,000 will be Chase’s base salary for the upcoming season. 

By the way, it would have been an ugly move if the Bengals had let go of their star wide receiver, who ranks first in rushing attempts, receiving yards, and rushing touchdowns. Thankfully, Ja’Marr is now closer to securing a massive deal.

As for Tee Higgins, no one would have expected the Bengals to seriously consider re-signing him. He’s in the final year of his contract, having signed a staggering $26,179,200 deal for just one year—where both his annual salary and cap hit are identical. And with the latest update, the Bengals are preparing to offer Higgins an extension. Joe Burrow’s Bengals are radiating serious Super Bowl energy, huh?

Last season, Joe Burrow, Tee Higgins, and Ja’Marr Chase led the team to five straight wins. While it was heartbreaking to see them fall short in the early stages, they still showcased their strength in the season’s final stretch. Now, the anticipation is high to see how the Bengals will kick off the upcoming season.