WRs Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase are reportedly signing four-year contracts with the Bengals

Star wide receivers Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase have agreed to contract extensions with the Cincinnati Bengals, according to many sources on Sunday night.

Details of the new agreements were provided by the receivers to Fox Sports, with numbers verified by an NFL Network story. Chase, who was about to enter the last year of his previous contract, agreed to a four-year, $161 million contract with a $112 million guarantee.

At $40.25 million a year, the average compensation is the highest in the NFL for a non-quarterback.

Higgins has committed to a $115 million, four-year contract, with the first two years assured. For the second year in a row, the Bengals had prevented Higgins from becoming an unrestricted free agent for the 2025 season by applying the franchise tag to him. For wide receivers who are franchise-tagged, the annual compensation is $26.2 million.

Higgins and the Bengals were given until July 15 to reach a long-term contract arrangement. Higgins stated that he wished to remain in Cincinnati. If the team could have found a suitor for their No. 2 receiver, his trade value listed on franchise tags under the parameters of the CBA would have been two first-round draft picks.

The team was trying to figure out how to pay the entire team under the salary cap, including two players at the same position. Chase and the Bengals negotiated throughout the previous preseason; Chase chose to play without a new contract after holding out for a portion of training camp.

The league leader in receptions (127), receiving yards (1,708), touchdown receptions (17), and yards per game (100.5) in 17 games (16 starts) was Chase, who turned 25 on March 1.

Chase was chosen by the Bengals with the fifth overall choice of the 2021 NFL Draft. Chase attended LSU, where he played alongside his quarterback, Joe Burrow, who was selected to the Pro Bowl twice, in Cincinnati.

Chase has caught 395 passes in 62 regular-season games (61 starts) for 5,425 yards and 46 touchdowns. Additionally, in seven playoff games (all starts), he has 45 receptions for 588 yards and three touchdowns.

In 2024, he made the first team All-Pro and was chosen to the Pro Bowl each of the previous four seasons. The 2021 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award went to Chase.

In 2024, the 26-year-old Higgins participated in 12 games (nine of which he started) and caught 10 touchdown passes for 73 receptions and 911 yards. In 70 regular-season games (62 starts), he has amassed 34 career touchdowns, 330 receptions, and 4,595 yards since being chosen in the second round of the 2020 draft.

In the same draft, the Bengals selected Burrow with the first overall choice. Burrow has stated that he would be sad if Higgins did not return.