The Cincinnati Bengals were able to do what nobody in the NFL thought – or wanted – them to do. Both Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are locked down for the next four seasons at the very least. In the history of the Bengals, there have been some elite receivers to come through. Chad Johnson, A.J. Green, Carl Pickens, Isaac Curtis, and Cris Collinsworth had their time putting the offense on their backs and etched their names in the history books.
The team knew what it had in Chase and Higgins and rewarded them accordingly, albeit way later than they should have. These are two of the greatest receivers to wear the orange and black striped helmet. With Joe Burrow at quarterback, the sky seems to be the limit on the offense. When each of these extensions ends, how will the careers of Chase and Higgins look?
A key factor in the Ja’Marr Chase/Tee Higgins negotiations was Joe Burrow’s influence. Beyond his public comments, Burrow also applied private pressure, making it clear deals must get done for both. If Cincy failed, this could have gotten VERY interesting. pic.twitter.com/PLJjj1E7qg https://t.co/dOBTlqYZ7m
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) March 19, 2025
A Look at the Career Trajectories for Chase and Higgins
The GOAT?
There is an argument for Burrow to be the greatest Bengals quarterback. What about his top receiver? At this point in his career, Ja’Marr Chase has played in 62 games and has amassed 5,425 yards and 46 touchdowns off 395 receptions. Already, in the history of the franchise, Chase is fifth in touchdowns, eighth in receptions, and 10th in yards.
So, in four seasons, Chase averages 15.5 games per year. In those 15.5 games, he’s accounted for 87.5 yards, 0.75 touchdowns, and 6.4 receptions per game. With this extension, tacked on to his fifth-year option this year, Chase is under contract through the 2029 season. Considering he’s coming off his Triple Crown season and entering his peak, it’s not unrealistic to think that he will outplay his career averages to this point.
If he continues his current trajectory, he’s going to cement himself as the greatest receiver in franchise history. At his current pace, at the end of the 2029-30 season, Chase will have 12,206 yards, 103 touchdowns, and 891 receptions. The next closest Bengal would be Chad Johnson with 10,783 yards and 66 touchdowns off 751 receptions. He would not just break or shatter the records, he would obliterate them.
Obviously, Chase would be the best receiver at the end of this, but does he have an argument right now? In terms of sheer talent, yes. Chase is quarterback-proof, it just helps that he has one of the top players at the position on his team.
Joining The Elites in Franchise History
Higgins, meanwhile, has been the Robin to Chase’s Batman ever since the two suited up together in 2021. He was drafted with the 33rd pick of the 2020 draft with Burrow and took over the WR1 role over Green and Tyler Boyd in short time. Then, despite the Bengals drafting Chase, he did not take it personally and never let his focus slip despite being the WR2.
Higgins has played in 70 games in his Bengals career across five seasons. That averages out to 14 games per year. In those 14 games, Higgins accounts for 65.6 yards, 0.49 touchdowns, off 4.7 catches per game. While those are not Chase-level numbers, Higgins is a top-end receiver in his own right. Assuming he continues to play at the rate he has been – even while missing two or three games per season – Higgins will be toward the top of the leaderboard with his teammate.
Higgins is under contract through the 2028 season, so he’s on pace to play in another 56 games. At this rate, Higgins is set to finish out this contract with 8,269 yards and 61 touchdowns off 593 catches. Factoring in Chase’s aforementioned outlook, Higgins should end up fourth in franchise history in catches and yards while slotting in at fifth in touchdowns.
Could the Bengals really have two top-five receivers in franchise history on the roster right now? Again, in terms of talent, absolutely. However, Higgins has the fact that he’s not the number-one option in the offense working against him. Even then, he’s right up there with Chase, Johnson, Green, and Pickens. It’s impressive.
The hype and optimism are high in Cincinnati. Yes, the defense needs work. It sure looks like the Bengals are banking on Al Golden getting the most out of all of the young draft picks the team has accumulated over the last few drafts. Even with a terrible defense, this offense was able to carry the team kicking and screaming to nine wins last year.
Locking down Chase and Higgins was the right move. By the end of these contracts, it’ll be obvious.
Main Image: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images
The post The Bengals Have Never Had a Duo Quite Like What They Have Now appeared first on Last Word on Pro Football.