The Cincinnati Bengals have secured Joe Burrow’s top two targets for the next four years after agreeing to contract extensions with receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, according to reports on Monday.
For Chase, his deal makes him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.
The lucrative deals put an end to the uncertainty surrounding the two receivers, whom Burrow has long advocated for, and put both players at the top of the pay scale for their respective positions.
FOX Sports first reported the news of the deals.
A source told The Associated Press that Chase inked a four-year contract extension worth $161 million, including $112 million guaranteed, putting him above Myles Garrett’s previous mark of $40 million a year.
The deal comes as no surprise after director of player personnel Duke Tobin said at the NFL Scouting Combine last month that the goal was to give Chase a deal that would set the standard for NFL wideouts.
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“He is going to end up being the No. 1 paid non-quarterback in the league,” Tobin said at the time. “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.”
Despite missing the playoffs for a second-straight season, Chase had a stellar performance on the field. He became just the sixth receiver in the Super Bowl era to lead the league in receptions, yards receiving, and touchdown catches in a single season.
Higgins also reportedly signed a four-year contract extension worth $115 million, making him the highest-paid No. 2 receiver ever, FOX Sports reported.
Drafted in the second round alongside Burrow, Higgins has proven himself a reliable No. 2.
He had 73 receptions for 911 yards and tied for sixth this past season with 10 touchdown catches.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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