The Cincinnati Bengals took care of their own.
By signing Ja’Marr Chase to a record-setting $160 million contract extension, as the highest-paid wide receiver in the history of the sport, and inking Tee Higgins to a $115 million deal, as the highest-paid No. 2 wide receiver ever, the Bengals ensured that two of Joe Burrow’s most vital and prolific weapons won’t be going anywhere for a while.
The uncharacteristic commitment to two star players is an investment both in ensuring Burrow remains among the premier quarterbacks in the sport and also propping open the Bengals’ Super Bowl window for the next several seasons.
Cincinnati Bengals Legend Has High Hopes After Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins Deals
Former Bengals All-Pro wide receiver Carl Pickens believes that now that the business of securing Chase’s and Higgins’ future, the stage is set for Cincinnati to make a championship charge.
“I think at the end of the day, it’s Super Bowl or bust, man,” Higgins said, during an appearance on The Between The Hashmarks Podcast.
Cincinnati, of course, is three years removed from a Super Bowl appearance, but missed the playoffs last season, unable to overcome a 1-4 start to the season.
However, Pickens believes that the continuity with Burrow, Higgins, and Chase, with the uncertainty and distraction of both contract extensions removed that this has the potential to be a special season for the Bengals.
“I think at this particular point in time, these guys are hungry,” Higgins says. “Chase’s contract was hanging over his head, Higgins’ contract was hanging over his head last year. So, that’s in the past. These guys are here. Get into training camp focusing on the Super Bowl.
“I don’t want to put that kind of pressure on them, but I’m sure they’re thinking ‘okay, we’ve got our guys in place, we know what we need to do, we know the task at hand, and Theo only thing we’ve got to do now is going out and play like we know how to play, cut down on the mistakes, and see what happens.”
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