Ja'Marr Chase gets blunt on Tee Higgins' future amid $21,800,000 WR's "last game" comments

The Cincinnati Bengals are lucky to have Tee Higgins. With the team needing to win against the Denver Broncos to keep their playoff hopes alive, the Bengals pulled off a great 30-24 win at home, extending their season in at least one more week.

The star of the show was Higgins. He had a fantastic game, with 11 receptions, 131 receiving yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winner catch in overtime. The receiver has not signed a contract with the franchise for 2025 and beyond, and his days in Cincinnati could be coming to an end.

Wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase was candid about the performance of his teammate, who could have played his last game in Cincinnati as a member of the Bengals. If this was his last performance, he certainly made it count, as per Chase:

"If that was his last game in this stadium, he went out with a bang. But that’s a big if."

Higgins also spoke after the game about his contract situation. He said to reporters that he does not want this to be the last time he plays for the Bengals at home:

"I hope not, but that could have been my last game in the stripes here," Higgins said afterward. "This game, it meant a lot more to me coming into it. Definitely a surreal feeling."

It wasn't all flowers for the wide receiver, who had a fumble in the fourth quarter that cost an important possession for the team, but he was able to show his value with all three passing touchdowns by Burrow.

Tee Higgins contract: What will his new contract look like?

He's currently earning $21.8 million from the Bengals as per the 2024 value of the franchise tag for wide receivers. He and the team did not reach a deal, and they'll also try and negotiate a contract before he hits free agency in March.

According to Spotrac, a website specializing in contracts for NFL players, he's set to earn around $18.3 per year. Spotrac calculates his market value to a five-year, $91.3 million total contract, which would place him as the 25th best-paid wide receiver in the league.

The Bengals will also extend the contract of Ja'Marr Chase during the offseason, which is why they could be willing to let their WR2 go.