Tee Higgins’ 3-Word Message to Ja’Marr Chase as NFL Insider Provides Worrying Update on Bengals’ Contract

In this draft season, teams are playing salary cap Jenga, stacking their rosters without everything toppling over. We have the Cowboys due to pay Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and Micah Parsons. Then, we have the 49ers, trying to keep up with Brandon Aiyuk without breaking the bank. Even the Bengals got in this chaotic gamble, trying to lock down their receivers on a monster deal, while figuring out what to do with Tee Higgins. Well, regardless of his contract situation, Tee dropped a message for Chase, reminding him that their brotherhood still exists.

Higgins wrote a heartfelt message for Ja’Marr Chase on his birthday, “Happy Birthday, killa”, with a little starry emoji. His birthday shout-out came at a very interesting time for Chase, as his contract talks have hit a bit of a brick wall. Reports say Cincinnati and Chase are “far apart” on numbers. AND if you don’t know, the Bengals hate handing out fully guaranteed deals, but that’s exactly what Chase wants.

I mean, why would Ja’Marr not demand it? Justin Jefferson got it. Even Tyreek Hill got it. And let’s be real, Chase is the 5th receiver since 1970 to win the Triple Crown. I mean, he had an explosive season with 127 catches, 1,708 yards, and 17 touchdowns, making him. AND he racked up over a third of Cincy’s receiving yards and nearly half of their passing touchdowns. Say what you want but no other Bengals receiver hit 900 yards or 8 TDs. As things stand, Chase is the Bengals’ offense.

From Bengals’ front office, their director of player personnel, Duke Tobin, said they want to make Chase the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL, but still won’t give out fully guaranteed money beyond the first year of a contract. With this delay, it just might get more messy. It’s not like Chase is the only athlete with a contract situation in Cincy.

Tee Higgins’ future contract

Higgins ain’t just watching Chase’s contract drama from the side, he’s got his own bag to secure. There’s talk that he wants around $30 million per year, which is undeniably a lot, but considering the way receiver contracts are hitting off, it’s not unreasonable. The problem is, the Bengals might not be able to afford both him and Chase, unless they get creative with their salary cap, instead of sticking to their old-school contract style.

The NFL salary cap is going up, somewhere between $277.5 and $281.5 million, which might help the Bengals. If they decide to let Higgins walk, then they might have to draft a replacement early. And, if the front office gets the sense that keeping both Chase and Higgins is a lost cause, they might use a high draft pick on a wide receiver.

To be fair, the Bengals also have to worry about their top pass rusher, Trey Hendrickson. Who’s seeking either a pay raise and extension, with these Pay me or trade me demands, Cincinnati’s front office has a lot on its plate this offseason.

The way the Bengals handle all of this will shape their next few seasons. We are yet to see if they’ll break their own rules and give Chase the fully guaranteed money he wants? And, if they can find a way to keep Higgins?

The thing is, if Higgins walks away, they will need to find his replacement through draft or free agency. Joe Burrow is watching very closely, thinking how to help the Bengals in this situation. If the team lets both of his top targets walk away, that hometown discount energy might disappear real quick.