Picture Zac Taylor pacing the sidelines like an MLB manager in extra innings, chewing gum like it’s his last piece of Double Bubble. The Cincinnati Bengals’ head coach knows the drill: winning in the NFL is harder than nailing a hole-in-one at Augusta’s 12th hole. But this offseason, Taylor isn’t just scheming plays.

He’s navigating a salary cap tightrope, balancing star contracts like a BBQ master juggling ribs, brisket, and burnt ends. The main course? Keeping Ja’Marr Chase in stripes without burning the whole meal.

Taylor didn’t mince words at the 2025 NFL Combine: “When you’ve got great players, you’re always going to deal with this kind of stuff. And again, I’d rather this than the opposite.” Translation: Paying stars hurts, but irrelevance hurts worse. With Chase eyeing a record-breaking deal, Tee Higgins hitting free agency, and Trey Hendrickson wanting a raise, the Bengals’ front office is crunching numbers like a Price Is Right contestant. But here’s the rub.

Chase’s deal could hit $40M/year, Higgins wants $25M+, and Hendrickson’s 14.5 sacks in 2024 scream, ‘Pay me!’ Taylor’s response? “We’re better with all three of those guys on our team.” Yet NFL math is unforgiving. Since 2020, only the Eagles have paid two WRs top-10 money and contended. Can Cincy crack the code?

The Bengals haven’t won a playoff game since 2022. Joe Burrow’s MVP window won’t stay open forever. And the AFC North? It’s a meat grinder. Taylor knows slow starts sunk them in 2024 (0-3 out the gate). “We’re looking at revising our whole offseason plan,” he admitted. Think about fewer beach vacations and more boot camps. Meanwhile, Director of Player Personnel Duke Tobin dropped the mic Tuesday.

The Tobin-Taylor two-Step

“Ja’Marr is always going to be our priority,” Tobin said. “He’s a fantastic football player. He’s going to end up being the No. 1 paid non-quarterback in the league. We’re there. Let’s get it done. They’re all priorities to us.” Tobin’s playbook is clear:

1. Lock down Higgins—“Our preference with Tee Higgins is to do a long-term agreement.”
2. Make Chase the NFL’s richest non-QB—“Ja’Marr is always going to be our priority.”
3. Keep Hendrickson hungry—“Trey is super passionate… He’s been a great fit for us. We would like to extend that.”

But here’s where things get interesting. Cincinnati’s defense ranked 24th in points allowed. Even if they keep the offensive trio, can they fix a leaky secondary? Tobin vowed, “We’re going to attack the defense.” Translation: Free agency and the draft (6 picks) must deliver. Besides, Taylor and Tobin are tag-teaming this like Shaq and Kobe in their prime.

Alignment is their mantra. “We meet every day with Duke and ownership,” Taylor said. “We’re all lockstep.” Tobin echoed: “We’ve managed our cap well. We’ve got low dead money. We want a high payroll and low dead money so the people that are in Cincinnati playing for us can get all the money.” Translation: They’re all in, but the table stakes are massive. The stakes?

History. Taylor’s gamble mirrors a line from Friday Night Lights: “Every man at some point faces a moment where he’s called upon to do something.” For the Bengals, that “something” is paying stars while patching holes—a task tougher than stopping Patrick Mahomes on 3rd-and-long.

As Taylor said, “We want to reward them.” But in the NFL, you can’t always eat your cake and have it too. Will Cincinnati’s bet pay off, or will it crash like the ’90s Bengals? One question lingers: In a league where “next man up” often beats “pay the man,” can the Bengals rewrite the rules?

As they say, “Money isn’t everything, but it’s way ahead of whatever’s in second place.” Are the Bengals about to prove him right—or painfully wrong?