Joe Burrow makes feelings known on Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins' contract extensions as Bengals face massive task at hand

The Cincinnati Bengals enter the 2025 NFL offseason with massive task at hand - paying their star players. Wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins and pass rusher Trey Hendrickson are due for a contract extension and uncertainity looms on how smooth or ugly it could get during the negotiations.

Quarterback Joe Burrow has come forward, once again, sending a resounding message to the front office to get the deals done. Speaking to the reporters at Pro Bowl in Orlando, the Bengals QB expressed his hope of re-signing their star players.

"We can make it happen," Burrow said. "We can make it happen. And just has to be right for everybody involved. I know the players want to make it work. We all want to be together. So I don't see it not working out, but we'll see."

Burrow has been on a mission to let his voice be known to the front office, time and again, since the 2024 season, because of the franchise's historical reputation of being cheap. The Bengals have been very frugal in not investing in their star players to maximize the chances of winning.

Chase and Higgins have been a core part of this expolsive Bengals offense and a major reason for Cincinnati's success in the recent years. Last offseason, the team picked up Chase's fifth-year option and he is guaranteed to make $21.8 million in 2025. But coming off a historic Triple Crown season, Chase is looking for a huge payday.

Higgins, on the other hand, played on franchise tag last season and will enter the 2025 NFL offseason as a free agent. The Bengals WR is expected to attract massive offers in free agency from both Super Bowl contenders and young, exciting teams with talented quarterbacks such as the New England Patriots and Washington Commanders.

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Joe Burrow addresses one more of Bengals' big concern

The Cincinnati Bengals have another massive hole to address in the offseason - slow starts. Joe Burrow and Co. have struggled to get off to a good start in the month of September. The Bengals started the 2024 season on a 1-4 record and it eventually cost them a playoff berth.

How to fix it? For Burrow, it comes down to two words - better execution.

"We just got to execute better early in the year, whether you know we need to change something in the off season or we just need to execute better down the stretch. You know, we came in a lot of close games that came down to one or two calls and plays that we we did or didn't make," he stated.

The Bengals have a record of 7-14-1 in the month of September under head coach Zac Taylor. The top two teams in the AFC, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills, who ended up playing in the AFC title game, started the season on a 3-0 record. If Bengals want to compete for the Super Bowl, they've to get more meticulous on starting the season better.