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Ben Baby
INDIANAPOLIS — The Cincinnati Bengals would like to give wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase a record-breaking deal — and the sooner, the better.
During his annual media session at the NFL scouting combine, Bengals de facto general manager Duke Tobin said the franchise wants to make Chase, an All-Pro receiver, the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league, which would set a record.
“Ja’Marr’s always going to be our priority,” Tobin said at the dais inside the Indiana Convention Center. “He’s going to end up being the No. 1 paid non-quarterback in the league. We’re there. Let’s get it done.”
This marks the second offseason that the Bengals have tried to get Chase signed to a long-term deal. Last year, Chase did not participate in training camp, and the two sides failed to reach an agreement before the start of the season.
Chase, a fifth-year player out of LSU, responded by turning in the best season of his career. He became the sixth player since 1970 to win the receiving “triple crown” by leading the league in receptions (127), receiving yards (1,708) and touchdowns (17). The receptions and yards were also Bengals franchise records.
Currently, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson, Chase’s former LSU teammate, holds the record for most lucrative non-quarterback contract. Jefferson signed a four-year deal last offseason worth $35 million a year and included $110 million in guaranteed money, both high marks outside of the quarterback position.
Tobin said that when talks broke down in 2024, Chase elected not to sign the deal that was on the table.
“He changed his mind, which is fine,” Tobin said. “We understood. There’s not hard feelings in this stuff. I don’t get angry about this kind of stuff. It’s just business.”
Tobin, Cincinnati’s long-time director of player personnel, declined to get into specifics about the contract structure, including guaranteed money. The Bengals are the only team in the league that does not provide any effective guaranteed money to non-quarterbacks outside of the first year.
In Tobin’s comments to local reporters after his time on the podium, he indicated that will likely not change.
“He’s going to be highly compensated,” Tobin said. “What the details look like will be between his representation and us. But the individual details of the contract, I’m not going to do that. We are prepared to do what is necessary to get him done. There is framework there. We will follow them.”
Bengals coach Zac Taylor echoed Tobin’s comments regarding Chase’s potential contract extension.
“It’s good to have great players that want to be rewarded,” Taylor said. “That’s a great problem to have. And with Ja’Marr, we certainly want to make him the highest paid non-quarterback in this league. He’s deserved that.”
Chase isn’t the only player of concern for the Bengals regarding new business. Wide receiver Tee Higgins and defensive end Trey Hendrickson are also angling for new deals.
Higgins played last season on the franchise tag after being unable to ink an extension for the second straight offseason. Since the Bengals drafted him in the second round in 2020, Higgins has battled injury issues but still amassed 4,595 total receiving yards and 34 touchdowns in five seasons with the Bengals.
Tobin said the team is still engaged in contract negotiations and remains hopeful the two sides can strike a long-term deal. He also cited Higgins’ representation switch from David Mulugheta to Rocky Arceneaux, who also represents Chase.
That both players share an agent shouldn’t impact negotiations, Tobin said, and the switch to Arceneaux could be a difference for Higgins.
“He’s got a new representation, so maybe that’ll push it over,” Tobin said. “I don’t know.”
Hendrickson, like Chase, is also coming off a career season. Hendrickson led the league with 17.5 sacks and was named an All-Pro for the first time.
“He’s been a great fit for us,” Tobin said. “We would like to extend that. We would like to keep him not only happy but with us on a longer-term basis.”
This offseason will be pivotal for a Bengals franchise that followed deep playoff runs in 2021 and 2022, including a Super Bowl appearance, by missing the postseason the past two seasons.
Before Tobin answered any questions from reporters, he issued an opening statement expressing his disappointment in last year’s 9-8 campaign.
Quarterback Joe Burrow, who is paid a league-high $55 million annually and was an MVP finalist last year, has been vocal about wanting to make sure the Bengals find a way to sign Higgins, Chase, Hendrickson and tight end Mike Gesicki to extensions. Tobin and Taylor say they feel the same way.
“I want deals done, just like our quarterback wants deals done,” Tobin said. “Everything he says, I agree with.
“I want them done. I want the best players available, and I also want to add more players to our team.”