Are Tee Higgins, Ja’Marr Chase, Joe Burrow headed for final run?

CINCINNATI — The throw from quarterback Joe Burrow to Tee Higgins was poised to develop into a franchise-defining play for the Bengals.

In Tremendous Bowl LVI in opposition to the Los Angeles Rams on Feb. 13, 2022, Burrow heaved the ball towards Higgins, certainly one of his high vast receivers. Higgins turned, leaped, caught the move and bumped into the tip zone for a 75-yard landing and a 17-13 lead early within the third quarter. It was the second TD for Higgins, who had 100 yards on 4 receptions.

The Rams finally received 23-20 to maintain Cincinnati ready for its first Lombardi Trophy. However a play that serves as a footnote is a reminder of what’s potential — no less than for yet one more season.

Between the common season and playoffs, Higgins and teammate Ja’Marr Chase have mixed for 51 landing catches and seven,399 receiving yards on passes from Burrow. However after Monday, this could possibly be the final 12 months Burrow can have this 1-2 mixture. Higgins and the Bengals failed to achieve an settlement on a long-term deal by Monday night, which implies Higgins will play 2024 on the franchise tag earlier than getting into free company.

Even when it should value Cincinnati $21.8 million to have Higgins for only a 12 months, it is a value the Bengals felt was value investing to maintain their passing trio collectively for somewhat bit longer.

“He is one of many high receivers on this league,” coach Zac Taylor mentioned on the NFL scouting mix earlier this 12 months. “We do not need that simply strolling out of the constructing.

“So whenever you get a chance to place a tag on him and preserve him within the constructing and let him play no less than one other 12 months for us, I feel that is essential.”

Higgins has been an enormous a part of Cincinnati’s rebuild below Taylor. When the Bengals drafted Burrow with the primary total choose in 2020, they used their subsequent choose to take Higgins on the high of the second spherical. One 12 months later, Cincinnati added Chase, Burrow’s former teammate at LSU.

These three picks paved the way in which for among the best runs in franchise historical past. In 2021 and 2022, Cincinnati received the AFC North and reached the convention championship recreation in every of these playoff runs, splitting video games in opposition to Kansas Metropolis. Chase (3 occasions) and Burrow (1 time) have every made the Professional Bowl, whereas Higgins has remained productive when wholesome.

Nonetheless, sustaining that success comes at a steep value. At $55 million yearly, Burrow is the highest-paid participant in NFL historical past. Chase is in line for a mammoth extension as properly. Regardless of the shortage of accolades, Higgins’ manufacturing has additionally warranted a big payday.

That is what makes the scenario so precarious. Cincinnati is vulnerable to tying up vital chunks of its wage cap in three gamers. A precedent was set by the Philadelphia Eagles, who’ve given extensions to a quarterback (Jalen Hurts) and two receivers (A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith) that can take up greater than 18% of their cap area in 2025, in response to knowledge from OverTheCap.

The Bengals may tag Higgins for a second straight 12 months, however that may be back-to-back years of paying a premium, totally assured wage.

“You have to be actually even handed together with your cash,” Bengals de facto common supervisor Duke Tobin mentioned on the mix. “You have to decide what’s wanted and what’s simply wished. Like I’ve mentioned earlier than, it is a finite pie, and we slice it up a whole lot of other ways.”

The numbers present how efficient Cincinnati’s offense is when Burrow has Chase and Higgins at his disposal. When all three gamers have been on the sphere on the identical time throughout the common season, Cincinnati averages 5.8 yards per play, in response to ESPN Stats & Data. To place that in perspective, the San Francisco 49ers lead the NFL in that class throughout that span at 6.2 yards per play.

After the Bengals ended 2023 by lacking the playoffs for the primary time since Burrow and Higgins’ rookie season, Burrow emphasised Higgins’ significance to Cincinnati’s success.

“He is a giant a part of what we have achieved right here,” Burrow mentioned in January.

When the Bengals begin coaching camp subsequent Wednesday, it’s going to mark the beginning of probably the final run of Burrow, Chase and Higgins all in the identical offense. It is a chance Cincinnati should maximize if the trio desires one other crack at main the Bengals again to the Tremendous Bowl.