The Bengals didn’t just lock up Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins last year. They turned what could have been a stressful contract saga into one of the sharpest moves in the league.
That matters even more now, with AFC North rival Baltimore handing Zay Flowers a four-year, $140 million extension, according to Adam Schefter. The deal averages $35 million per year and ties Flowers with Vikings star Justin Jefferson in new-money average per year.
The comparison makes Cincinnati’s work look even cleaner. Chase is set to make around $40 million annually, while Higgins is at roughly $29 million per year. And when you stack those numbers against Flowers, the Bengals’ side of the ledger starts to look downright lopsided.
There’s no real debate that Chase sits above Flowers. The more interesting conversation is Higgins, because the Bengals got him at a number that looks especially friendly next to Flowers’ $35 million average.
Higgins has averaged more than 900 yards and 7.5 touchdowns per season in his NFL career. Flowers, meanwhile, has averaged just over 1,000 yards and 4.5 touchdowns per year.
That edge in yards goes to Flowers, but Higgins has had to share the field with one of the best pass catchers the NFL has ever seen. Flowers, by contrast, is Baltimore’s WR1.
So when the numbers are laid side by side, Cincinnati’s extensions from last offseason look even better. For just $5 million more per year than Flowers, the Bengals have Chase. And they also have Higgins at a rate that makes Baltimore’s new deal feel expensive by comparison.
It’s the kind of contract work the Bengals can keep enjoying every time a rival receiver gets paid.
In Other News...
Landon Robinson Is Giving Bengals Fans A Reason To Watch Camp Closely
The Bengals used a late draft pick on Navy defensive tackle Landon Robinson, but he has quickly become one of the more intriguing names to surface during offseason work. His arrival brought a different kind of profile to Cincinnatis defensive line room, blending the kind of discipline and toughness associated with the Naval Academy with the athletic traits that helped make him a seventh-round selection.
Robinson has already turned enough heads that he is being viewed as a candidate for a rotational role up front, which gives camp a little extra edge for Bengals fans tracking the defensive line battle. The early buzz has also invited some familiar comparisons to a former Cincinnati standout, adding to the sense that this rookie could be more than a quiet depth addition if he keeps building on the attention he has earned. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals WR3 Battle Is Suddenly Putting Real Pressure On Someone
The Bengals are getting close to their first preseason game, and the practice field has already started sorting out a few of the roster questions that matter most. Among them is the WR3 job, where young receiver Colbie Young has been turning heads while Andrei Iosivas has been trying to steady himself after a stretch of drops. It has become one of those camp battles that feels less like depth-chart fine print and more like an early test of who can be trusted when the games start counting.
Cincinnati is also watching other young players push for notice, including pass rusher Cashius Howell, who has flashed against the first team and looked the part in a crowded evaluation period. The Bengals are still in the stage where practice reps can move a player up or down in a hurry, and that makes these next few weeks especially important for anyone sitting on the edge of a role. For Iosivas, the margin is shrinking, and the preseason will give the coaching staff its clearest look yet at whether he can hold it. [Read more 🡒]