Bengals plan to make Ja’Marr Chase NFL’s highest-paid non-quarterback

The Cincinnati Bengals plan to make All-Pro wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL.

“He is going to end up being the No. 1 paid non-quarterback in the league,” director of player personnel Duke Tobin said Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine. “We’re there. Let’s get it done. The earlier we can do some of this stuff, the freer it gives us to build the rest of the team. We have other needs that we want to build, and so we want to get these kinds of things done early enough to where we can really focus on building out the rest of the football team, but they’re all priorities to us but the ones that aren’t signed, are the ones that are on the table first.”

Coach Zac Taylor reiterated Tobin’s statement and added the team also wants to extend Tee Higgins’ contract and continue giving Joe Burrow the playmakers that help make one of the league’s most dynamic passing attacks.

“It’s good to have great players that want to be rewarded,” Taylor said. “That’s a good problem to have.”

Tobin and Taylor’s comments align with what FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz reported on Chase’s situation last week. Chase will likely command $40 million per year salary, which would make him the first wide receiver to cross that threshold, according to Schultz. 

Chase was a “hold in” during training camp last season as he sought a new contract, nearly opting to sit out the first couple of games of the season as the two sides nearly came to terms on an agreement in the summer, according to Schultz. Chase led the league in receptions (127), yards receiving (1,708) and touchdown catches (17) this season, becoming just the sixth wide receiver in the Super Bowl era to achieve the receiving triple crown. The Bengals picked up his fifth-year option of $21.816 million for the 2025 season. 

As for Higgins, he played last season on the $21.8 million franchise tag. Some believe Higgins could’ve received over $30 million per year on the open market, Schultz reported. He’s eligible to receive the franchise tag again this offseason. 

All-Pro edge rusher Trey Hendrickson also is due for a big raise after getting 17 1/2 sacks each of the past two seasons.

“He is super engaged and we’re cognizant he’s been a great signing for us,” Tobin said about Hendrickson. “We’ve been a great fit for him. He’s been a great fit for us. We would like to extend that. We would like to keep him not only happy but with us on a longer-term basis. And we’re going to talk. He’s under contract right now, and we’re going to talk as the offseason goes, and hopefully come to an agreement that everyone’s acceptable but are we there yet? We’re not there yet.”

The Bengals have finished 9-8 and missed the playoffs in each of the past two seasons. They lost the Super Bowl after the 2021 season and lost in the AFC championship game the following year.

“We don’t expect them to just do what we want,” Tobin said about the contract negotiations. “And they have to expect some negotiation, because we’re putting together a big picture, and our players want a good football team, and we’re going to attack that and respect that, and also respect the level of production and ability level our players have. We’re not trying to insult anybody, particularly at the top of our football team. We’re fortunate to have fantastic football players, and we’re going to treat them as such.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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