Right now, the Cincinnati Bengals are in contract negotiations with star wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase.
He is reportedly seeking to eclipse Justin Jefferson as the highest-paid receiver in the league, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
All eyes are on Chase. However, there is another wideout on the Bengals who could receive a big payday: Tee Higgins.
In a recent article, Kris Knox of Bleacher Report projected the contracts for the top-10 free agents set to hit the market in 2025.
Higgins, the second-ranked player on the list, is projected to receive a four-year, $ 100 million contract.
“A strong campaign should put Higgins in the $ 25 million club, and here’s a scenario in which he goes even higher. If Chase’s contract hold-in goes deep into the regular season and Higgins puts up legitimate No. 1 receiver numbers, he’s going to get No. 1 receiver money in free agency,” Knox wrote.
The $ 100 million total value would tie him with Amari Cooper for the seventh-highest among NFL wide receivers, per Spotrac.
Despite being the No. 2 option in Cincinnati, Higgins has played at an elite level at times. He posted back-to-back 1,000-receiving yard seasons in 2021 and 2022.
Last season, he only suited up for 11 games due to hamstring injuries, but he still had a respectable 42 receptions for 656 yards and five touchdowns. He also recorded a career-high 15.6 yards per reception.
After failing to reach a long-term deal in July, the Bengals signed him to the franchise tag (one-year, $ 21.8 million).
If Higgins hits the open market this offseason, he should have plenty of suitors.
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