Burrow confident Bengals will reward Chase, re-sign Higgins in 2025
The Cincinnati Bengals will have important contract decisions to make regarding their top wide receivers in 2025, and quarterback Joe Burrow is optimistic he'll still be teammates with both Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins next season.
Chase is expected to become the NFL's highest-paid wideout. The 2021 No. 5 pick was eligible to sign an extension this past offseason but has yet to ink a new deal and will enter the fifth year of his rookie deal in 2025.
"I don't want to envision a world that is playing without Ja'Marr Chase," Burrow said Monday after a 27-20 win over the Dallas Cowboys, according to Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Burrow also provided a strong statement regarding Higgins, the franchise-tagged pass-catcher who was seemingly on track to hit the open market and leave the Bengals in March.
"I'm confident we are going to do what it takes to bring Tee back," Burrow said, according to Chatterbox Sports. "I know I'm going to do what it takes to get him back, and so is he. We have those talks. Those are going to be offseason discussions, but I think we're excited about that opportunity."
Higgins - who admitted in July that 2024 could be his last year in Cincy - said postgame Monday that he hasn't ruled out returning to the team next season.
"That would be exciting to return here," Higgins added, according to Marshall Kramsky of WCPO 9.
Higgins caught two passes for 23 yards against the Cowboys. The two-time 1,000-yard wideout ranks second on the team with 45 receptions in 2024.
Chase is putting on an absolute show this year, as he leads the NFL in receptions (93), receiving yards (1,319), and TD catches (15). The three-time Pro Bowler added another spectacular performance to his excellent 2024 campaign versus Dallas, finishing the matchup with a 14-177-2 stat line.
"He deserves all he's gonna get and more," Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said of Chase's contract situation Monday, according to Jay Morrison of BengalsTalk.com. "Hopefully, we can play together for as long as we're in this league."
The Bengals snapped a three-game skid by defeating the Cowboys and improved to 5-8 this year to stay mathematically alive in the AFC playoff picture. Cincinnati will visit the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.