The notoriously cheap Cincinnati Bengals shocked the NFL world late on Sunday night when Jordan Schultz of FOX broke the news that Cincinnati agreed to long-term extensions with wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Both are four-year deals, with Chase’s contract making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history, surpassing Myles Garrett’s recent deal.
There will be no more talk of which team Higgins will play for in 2025. He wanted to be paid — by the Bengals or elsewhere. This new deal not only makes him the highest-paid No. 2 receiver ever but also one of the 10 highest-paid receivers in the NFL.
Check out the Bengals’ commitments to quarterback Joe Burrow, Chase, and Higgins.
In the salary cap era, this is almost insanity. Now, the Bengals must turn their attention to star edge rusher Trey Hendrickson. Hendrickson’s 35 combined sacks over the past two years are more than any player in the NFL. He has one year remaining on his contract at a cap figure of just under $19 million. That’s a bargain for someone with Hendrickson’s production — and he knows it.
Hendrickson reportedly wants a deal well north of $30 million annually. And while Cincinnati gave Hendrickson’s representation permission to seek a trade, the Bengals want to retain him long-term.
Several teams have expressed interest in Hendrickson and are willing to meet his salary demands but not Cincinnati’s “ridiculous” compensation demands. One of those teams could be the Washington Commanders, who have reportedly expressed interest in Hendrickson. The Commanders desperately need pass rush help and have used free agency to add bodies to their defense with the hope of improving their run defense.
Washington has already traded draft picks for left tackle Laremy Tunsil and wide receiver Deebo Samuel but still has their first and second-round picks in the 2025 NFL draft. While Cincinnati allowed Hendrickson permission to seek a trade, the Bengals rarely ever trade players. Will the Bengals renegotiate with Hendrickson on a new deal? That appears to be the idea behind locking down Chase and Higgins now. However, reaching the numbers Hendrickson wants could be difficult with so much money tied up into the three offensive players.
In some good news for the Bengals: Chase and Higgins will have lower cap numbers for 2025, leaving them room to make some deals. However, knowing Cincinnati’s past, Hendrickson will play on his current number for next season and if he has another big year, the Bengals will slap the franchise tag on him.
While it looks like Cincinnati’s big re-signings would potentially open the door on a Hendrickson trade, don’t count on it.
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