Chase was always going to go up over $40 million per year after the team missed a chance to get him around the $35 million per-year mark last summer. Higgins could've generated around $30 million in free agency, while the tag gave him a lump sum of $26 million, so around $28 million would be an interesting compromise.

No longer appearing likely to extend Ja’Marr Chase and split with Tee Higgins, the Bengals have seen their updated plan — one featuring a hopeful long-term Higgins future in Cincinnati — produce notable progress.

Now that the team has placed the franchise tag on wide receiver Tee Higgins, keeping him in Cincinnati for 2025, more focus can be on locking down fellow wide receiver Ja'Marr Cha