Ja'Marr Chase - Bengals and Chase agree to deal around $30 million per season
Given that the Cincinnati Bengals are a Super Bowl-caliber team, they need to keep around their best players. The Bengals have been a team notorious for getting a bit cute with taking care of their own players, but Chase does have Hall of Fame potential if he can keep up his current pace. He's got three Pro Bowls in three seasons, and has hauled in 268 receptions for 3,717 yards and 29 touchdowns across his career.
He's averaging 82.6 yards per game, which ranks as the fourth-most in NFL history. Do you see why he Bengals need to keep Chase around? It's the logical move, so I think they get it done.
Tee Higgins - Bengals do nothing and Higgins eventually reports
The Cincinnati Bengals applied the franchise tag to WR Tee Higgins, which will be worth a hair under $22 million this coming season. Higgins has not been present for the Bengals this offseason, but he doesn't seem to have a ton of leverage in his desire for a long-term deal. First off, he's not nearly as good as the Bengals WR1, Ja'Marr Chase, who is much more deserving of an extension.
Furthermore, Higgins was in and out of the lineup in 2023, posting the least-production year of his career, catching 42 passes for 656 yards and five touchdowns. Since Higgins has played in the shadow of Ja'Marr Chase, he's never had a 1,100-yard season, but he's got two 1,000-yard seasons.
Honestly, if the Bengals are stout in their desire to not trade Tee Higgins, he's going to report at some point.