Ex-NFL QB urges Bengals to follow Eagles’ model after spending $270,000,000 on Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase

The Cincinnati Bengals made the moves their fans wanted. On Sunday night, news broke that they signed wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to four-year extensions. Quarterback Joe Burrow was clear about his wish to keep the pair in Cincinnati despite the money needed to complete both deals.

The antidote to losing competitiveness with star players on the roster is drafting well. Cincinnati has been at fault in recent drafts, with some of its top picks, like Daxton Hill, Jackson Carman, Myles Murphy and others, failing to make an impact.

ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky urged the Bengals front office to improve its drafting record, using 2025 champions Philadelphia Eagles as an example:

“I said their front office better become great at identifying, developing, and drafting everyone's good, and Howie Roseman did it. What people don't realize is seven out of the 11 starters for Philly's defense last year were on first-year deals, seven out of 11 starters, and the eighth guy was Zach Baun.

"So, eight out of your 11 guys, essentially on the number-one defense in the NFL, are on first-year contracts. That's how you could pay a quarterback and two wide receivers and still be successful. That's kind of what the Bengals’ front office needs to try and model.”

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Bengals extended deals of Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins at the same time

The total value of the contracts involves $161 million for Chase and $115 million for Higgins. The Bengals used a large portion of cash to sign both players, and their salary cap will be diminished by the extensions.

Chase's new average-per-year contract is $40.25 million, meaning he surpassed Myles Garrett ($40 million) as the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL. He has the 15th-highest average considering all players in the league.

Cincinnati now has two wide receivers earning in the top 10 at the position, with Higgins becoming the ninth receiver with the highest average salary in the league. The contract structure is not available yet, but Cincinnati is one of the teams with the lowest cap space available, meaning the contracts need to be backloaded.