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The Cincinnati Bengals are facing one of their more crucial offseason periods yet. Bengal fans could be watching Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins break apart due to free agency.
Cincinnati, however, remains alive and kicking in the AFC playoff race by stunning the Denver Broncos 30-24. Plus in a game that ended in bonkers fashion for the Bengals. Chase, though, voiced a strong message directed towards the Bengals' front office in the locker room, per Mike Petraglia of the Jungle Roar podcast.
“Pay the man,” Chase succinctly said. “This could be the last game in stripes here, so it meant a lot more to me.”
Higgins emerged as a red-hot free agent commodity during the 2024 offseason. The veteran and AFC champion WR then asked for a trade, but Cincy denied making any deals to send him away. He still faces a critical offseason.
Can the Bengals still keep both Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins?
Cincinnati currently has more than $61.7 million in salary cap for 2025, per Over The Cap. That means more than enough to keep Higgins, right?
It won't be easy for the Bengals' front office brass to maintain Higgins. He holds a market value of five years for $91.5 million with an average annual salary set for $18.3 million, per Spotrac. Chase is already due to make close to $22 million for 2025.
Higgins once again looks bound to command significant attention for teams seeking a WR upgrade. His 2024 work immediately boosts his market value. Higgins walked into Paycor Stadium with more receptions, yards and touchdowns compared to his 2023 numbers.
But he raised his game another level with the season on the line Saturday. Higgins destroyed the Broncos' defense by catching 11 passes, racked up 131 yards and scored three times. Joe Burrow later found him on a three-yard touchdown to seal the win.
Higgins created a new logjam for the AFC's final wildcard seed. In the process, Cincy is in a new dilemma about Higgins' future.
