The Cincinnati Bengals have long held a reputation for being stingy with NFL contracts. But as free agency looms for several of their most important players, the team appears to be making moves to ensure they can keep them.

The Cincinnati Bengals are expected to use the franchise tag on wideout Tee Higgins to try and keep their offensive trio of Higgins, Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase intact. However, the situation could get even more complicated with NFL insider Jordan Schultz reporting Chase will command at least $40 million per year on his next contract extension.

The Cincinnati Bengals couldn’t get a deal done with star wide rececieer Ja’Marr Chase before last season and will pay for it this summer. Pay for it, meaning somewhere possibly in the neighborhood of $40 million per year. According to Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz, the near-miss then means the Bengals pay up big now:

After failing to come to a new deal with the Bengals last fall, Ja'Marr Chase could become the NFL's first $40 million WR in 2025.

Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase is likely to become the league's highest-paid player at the position. So, what does that mean for Cincinnati?

Ja’Marr Chase was already expected to reset the wide receiver market when he inks his next contract. However, it’s sounding like the Bengals star could soar past the field.

Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase had reports that he was willing to sit out games for a new contract with the team.

In addition to retaining Tee Higgins, the Bengals aim to sign Ja'Marr Chase and Trey Hendrickson to long-term deals. More at Pro Football Rumors.

Up to this point, the Cincinnati Bengals have failed to secure three of their top players on long-term contracts, with Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Trey Hendrickson all angling for new deals. Behind closed doors, however, the Bengals intend to sign all three during the 2025 offseason, according to ESPN.

A Chase extension could indeed be friendly in Year 1, depending on the structure. That could, in turn, give the Bengals wiggle room to frontload another deal and/or pay out big for Higgins and/or Hendrickson, if not both, offsetting the big spike on Chase’s cap hits after 2025.