The countdown to training camp is nearly up, but the Bengals still have plenty of work to do on the extension front. New deals for several players have yet to be worked out, leaving a number of unanswered questions for the team’s financial outlook. 
Wideout Tee Higgins is set to enter the final year of his rookie contract, but he represents an obvious candidate for a multi-year deal. The need for new contracts on the part of quarterback Joe Burrow and, to a lesser extent, linebacker Logan Wilson led to trade speculation for Higgins this offseason, however. Cincinnati has made it clear the latter will not be on the move, and he has expressed a desire to remain with the team for years to come.
Those sentiments may not yield a smooth negotiating process, though. Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic notes that the matter of guranteed money on a new Higgins pact could become an issue during talks between the Bengals and agent David Mulugheta (subscription required). Plenty of recent precedent already exists regarding term and total dollar amounts on receiver deals, with extensions given to the likes of A.J. Brown, DK Metcalf, Deebo Samuel and Terry McLaurin playing a role in the unprecedented heights the position reached last offseason.
As Dehner notes, those four comparable pacts contain between $41MM and $58MM in guarantees, and the Bengals do not have a history of making such signficant long-term commitments. The pact for left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. – which included an historic $31.1MM signing bonus – and, no doubt, the one Burrow will sign at some point, represent exceptions to that general rule, though. A market-value deal for Higgins will require not only an AAV north of $20MM, but also a lucrative package of guranteed money.
The Bengals found themselves in troublesome extension talks last offseason with safety Jessie Bates, also a Mulugheta client. Bates ultimately played on the franchise tag in 2022, then landed a four-year, $64MM contract with the Falcons in free agency. A repeat of that situation could threaten the team’s ability to maintain its Burrow-Higgins-Ja’Marr Chase triumvirate over the long haul, making the team’s approach with Higgins a key storyline to follow for the rest of the offseason.
Extension talks with Bates were troublesome because they weren’t motivated to keep him.
If they didn’t want him, why negotiate? They wanted him, just not at 15 million per year. They also want Higgins but maybe not at 23-24 million per year with a big guarantee. They should trade him
Can we spell guarantee right?
Only so much money to go around with the majority going to the QB…..unfortunately, once successful, the other players want to get paid too…..
I would be shocked if they let Higgins go. Historically, the Bengals keep great receiving pairs. Eddie Brown and Collinsworth, Darnay Scott and Carl Pickens, Chad and TJ (and Chris Henry) and now Tee and Jamar. They can either give Mixon a pay cut or cut him to save money.
Chase is gonna want more than what Higgins is asking for. I don’t see how they’re gonna make it work in guaranteed money for those two, Burrow and then the rest of the team.
It won’t be easy, but I think they can do it with bonus strategies.
He’s probably worth a 1st & 3rd on the market. Grab those picks and have some extra ammo to use in season when a weakness pops up.
It’s funny how people outside Cincy still don’t understand that a Bates extension was never going to happen. He didn’t get, in free agency, what he was demanding from Cincy. And I don’t believe he’ll see the end of that contract..good for him for getting it tho. Hope he enjoys losing in Atlanta. Lol
I’ve said all along that a Higgins extension can’t happen until next year. Burrow and Chase not only need to be done first, but will have to be done with Tee in mind. Otherwise, he’ll play on the franchise tag next year. They just can’t give all 3 guys max out deals. All 3 guys will have to be flexible. The Burrow and Chase deals will 100% get done. They are the only must keeps.
Higgins won’t play on the franchise tag if Burrow and Chase are signed. Franchise tag for a WR is probably 24 million right now and the franchise tag salary will count on that years cap. No kicking it down the road. The only way the Bengals can sign all 3 is by kicking salary down the road. Bengals don’t operate that way. Look at Orlando Brown’s deal, the Bengals can basically get out of it after 3 years