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Bengals Bungle Team Building 101: Your Franchise QB Shouldn’t Need the Most Expensive Wide Receiver Duo in NFL History

Photo of Scott Kacsmar Scott Kacsmar25/03/2025 - 09:52 am
(Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

The NFL is largely through the free agency period even if Aaron Rodgers is making a few teams wait for his decision. But while most of the deals have been modest, this is the time of year where teams can spend foolishly, including mega-sized deals for positions unlikely to move the needle like right guard or a No. 2 wide receiver.

But one team that took care of their own is the Cincinnati Bengals, who reset the market for what a top-tier wide receiver can make as well as a new benchmark for a No. 2 wide receiver.

Ja’Marr Chase signed a 4-year extension worth $161 million, the richest contract in NFL history (by average annual value) for a non-quarterback. The Bengals also hooked up Tee Higgins with a 4-year extension worth $115 million ($28.75 million per year), the richest deal for a WR2 in NFL history.

Add it up and the Bengals are paying about $69 million per season to keep their wide receiver duo in Cincinnati. That’s nice for the position and the player’s bank accounts. That’s nice for the stat lines of Joe Burrow, who already reset the quarterback market at $55 million per year in 2023.

But is it nice for the team’s chances at winning a Super Bowl? Even if the creative accounting the team will use frees up enough space to make a long-term deal for pass rusher Trey Hendrickson, that’s a lot of money going to four players who you’ve already shown you can miss the playoffs with in back-to-back years.

How exactly are things going to get better with more money for them and less for everyone else? Cincinnati’s 2025 free-agent additions (the return of running back Samaje Perine, linebacker Oren Burks, and defensive tackle T.J. Slaton) don’t exactly scream Super Bowl pieces.

The Bengals have no doubt succeeded in making wide receivers a little more expensive for the rest of the NFL. While that part was inevitable, it’s not like this team had to be the test case for trying to pay the most expensive wide receiver duo in NFL history and still field a competitive roster.

Because the Bengals were late paying their guys, the cost went up. These record-setting contracts aren’t a cause for celebration. They demand a pause for consideration that teams are investing too much money in too few players and it’s unlikely going to end well for them.

The Rising Cost of NFL Wide Receivers

No matter how you slice it, what the Bengals are doing with Chase and Higgins is historic in paying the most expensive WR1 and WR2 in the league at the same time. This is the first time a team is spending over $60 million per season for a wide receiver duo. Both receivers are in their mid-20s, and these extensions should keep them with the Bengals throughout the remainder of their twenties.

But it’s important to take a step back and realize the rising cost for wide receivers in the NFL. It wasn’t always like this as several other positions took on more importance, including quarterback, pass rushers, offensive tackles, and corners.

It’s rare for a wide receiver to be the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL. Randy Moss had that goal when his rookie contract was expiring in 2001. The Vikings signed him an 8-year extension worth $75 million, which made him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL at $9.375 million average annual value (AAV).

The NFL’s 2001 salary cap for teams was about $67.4M, so Moss’s deal at the time represented about 13.9% of the cap. Keep in mind he still had a year left on his rookie deal in 2001, so that big money kicked in later. But he was worth it when teammate receiver Cris Carter was 36 years old when Moss got his mega deal.

But even a 1-of-1 talent like Moss in Minnesota wasn’t the first wideout to make $10M per season. He did technically break that barrier when he was traded to the Raiders in 2005 and signed a restructured deal.

But it was Larry Fitzgerald in 2011 who became the first wide receiver to make $15M per season when the Cardinals re-signed him for an 8-year deal worth $120 million. Calvin Johnson bumped that up to $16.5M in 2012 with the Lions. Both of those deals represented just over 13.4% of the cap.

It wasn’t until 2019 when Michael Thomas (Saints) became the first $20M wide receiver when he agreed to a 5-year extension worth $100 million. Julio Jones quickly topped that with a 3-year extension worth $22M per year in the same offseason.

DeAndre Hopkins was the next to reset the market in 2020 with a 2-year extension worth $27.25M per year. Then in 2022, after Tyreek Hill was traded from the Chiefs to Miami, he was given a 4-year extension worth $120M, making him the first $30M wideout. Before you knew it in 2022, there were at least 14 wide receivers making $20M per season with seven making at least $24M.

By 2024, Hill had company with five other wideouts topping $30M, including the new record set by Justin Jefferson (Vikings) at $35M per season, which briefly made him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history. Moss and Jefferson, that’s pretty good company for the Vikings to pay when you don’t necessarily have a quarterback or other weapon to pay like that.

But with Chase’s deal making him the first $40M wide receiver, his AAV% of the salary cap for 2025 is 14.42%, the highest in the cap era (1994-present). Burrow’s 2023 deal has an AAV% of cap number of 24.47%, the highest in the cap era. Throw in 10.3% for Higgins in 2025, and those three deals are taking up 49.2% of the cap for the Bengals, a record for a quarterback and two wideouts.

That’s not to say the Bengals are spending 49.2% of their 2025 cap on three players. But in looking at market value at the time of signing, that’s where they stand with these three players. That’s higher than what the Eagles (45.0%) have done with Jalen Hurts/A.J. Brown/DeVonta Smith, higher than the Dolphins (43.6%) with Tua Tagovailoa/Tyreek Hill/Jaylen Waddle, and certain much higher than what the 2000s Colts (35.7%) had with Peyton Manning/Marvin Harrison/Reggie Wayne.

That’s a lot of money for just one facet of the team, even if passing offense is king in the NFL. Right now, there are only five defensive players in the NFL making at least $30M per season, and who knows what number Hendrickson will want to stay with the Bengals as he seeks his last big payday after leading the NFL with 17.5 sacks.

Meanwhile, you have eight $30M wideouts with Higgins ($28.75M) and Waddle ($28.25M) just on the outside despite being WR2s in their offenses. There are 20 wideouts making at least $20M right now, the same number as offensive linemen and that’s a unit that has five starters.

That’s why you could argue wide receiver has turned into the second-most expensive position in the NFL after quarterback, and it’s happening quickly at an inflation rate that is outpacing the growth of the salary cap.

  • In 2019, you had the first $20M wideout with a cap of $188.2M (10.6%).
  • In 2022, you had the first $30M wideout with a cap of $208.2M (14.4%).
  • In 2025, you have the first $40M wideout with a cap of $279.2M (14.4%).

We know the quarterback deals are taking up a larger percentage of the cap starting in 2020 too. If you’re going to keep upping the cost for a QB, WR1, and a top edge rusher, then feeling the burden of having to pay those important positions top market value is going to be very tough on those teams fortunate enough to hit at those positions.

In Kansas City’s case, it’s been easier to maintain a dynasty when Chris Jones is a defensive tackle and makes a little less than if he was an edge rusher. Ditto for Travis Kelce being a tight end instead of a $30M+ receiver, the likes of which they traded in 2022 when they let Hill go to Miami and changed their offense.

I’m sure the Chiefs would have loved to keep players like Orlando Brown Jr., Tyreek Hill, and L’Jarius Sneed in town longer, but the cap is real and decisions have to be made here.

It’s the same reason the Dallas Cowboys barely had any money to spend on free agents in 2024 as owner Jerry Jones was worried about upcoming extensions for Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and Micah Parsons. Again, top dollar to three players, and they haven’t even paid Parsons yet. They made Prescott the first $60M quarterback, but without much help in 2024, the Cowboys were struggling even before his season-ending injury. Again, they still have to pay Parsons too, so good luck there.

You do not need to go 53 deep for good players to win at the highest level in the NFL. But if you’re going to build a “stars and scrubs” roster where the players ranked 5-to-53 aren’t much to speak of, it’s hard to see how that strategy is going to work out well. Those stars better be otherworldly players, and given the results in Cincinnati in 2022-23, these guys may not be that.

Where the Bengals Screwed Up

By being cheap, the Bengals cost themselves more money here. They should serve as the best case study of why it’s important to pay your top players early. They knew they’d be in a dilemma like this a few years back, so they could have tried to re-sign Tee Higgins to a modest deal going into the 2023 season, his final year on his rookie contract.

They may have been able to strike a deal for $25M/season at most there, but they let it go, they franchise tagged him for 2024, then they were going to do it again this year before making the long-term commitment a bit late.

Then with Chase, they could have signed him before 2024, either beating Jefferson’s agent to that $35M number in Minnesota or just going a hair over it. But they let it go, Chase won the triple crown, and the price tag only went up to over $40M.

That’s bad business on Cincinnati’s behalf by waiting so long. Then they were basically cornered by their quarterback, Burrow, campaigning for the last season to re-sign these receivers. They didn’t want another disgruntled Carson Palmer on their hands, so they bit the bullet and put pen to paper with these mega deals in March.

Meanwhile, the Texans signed Nico Collins to $24.25M per year after his breakout season in 2023, and that’s going to look like a bargain for their WR1.

But Burrow recently compared the approach to what the Eagles are doing as they are paying their quarterback and two wideouts good market value, and they’ve also built up a special roster in the trenches and just gave Saquon Barkley a raise.

The difference is the Eagles paid their guys earlier to save money. They also draft a hell of a lot better than the Bengals have. The Eagles basically built their revamped defense in the last few drafts with Jalen Carter, Nolan Smith, Cooper DeJean, Quinyon Mitchell, etc. The Bengals don’t have anything like that building up, let alone one of the best offensive lines in the league too.

Philadelphia also made the big move in 2022 to trade for A.J. Brown, which energized Jalen Hurts and got better play out of him in the passing game. With Higgins and Chase, those are known quantities in Cincinnati. You just signed those guys to extensions. You didn’t add around them. It’s not the same as new parts.

The Eagles also hired new coordinators in 2024 to get better after 2023’s collapse. The Bengals have recently lost their offensive coordinator (Brian Callahan became Tennessee’s coach in 2024) and fired their defensive coordinator (Lou Anarumo), who was key to their playoff success in 2021-22.

Where are these great replacements that are going to drag the team out of this little playoff drought? Meanwhile, Zac Taylor has been there for six years, including the last five with Burrow. The Five-Year Rule says no team has ever won its first Super Bowl by starting the same quarterback for the same coach for more than five years. 2025 will be Year 6 for Burrow-Taylor, so they have to think about that in the decision to bring back Taylor instead of firing him.

Maybe Burrow should have been lobbying for a new coach instead of keeping his favorite toys in town. Granted, those receivers have value, and Burrow’s stats are elevated by them more than some of these other quarterbacks (not Hurts) were elevated by their two best receivers:

  • On passes to Chase and Higgins compared to everyone else, Burrow’s YPA is 2.79 yards higher, and his passer rating is 16.1 points higher (111.1 vs. 95.0).
  • On passes to Brown and Smith compared to everyone else, Hurts’ YPA is 3.30 yards higher, and his passer rating is 27.2 points higher (110.0 vs. 82.9).
  • On passes to Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce compared to everyone else (2017-21 only), Mahomes’ YPA is 2.0 yards higher, and his passer rating is 12 points higher (112.5 vs. 100.5).
  • On passes to Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne compared to everyone else (2001-08 only), Peyton Manning’s YPA is 1.75 yards higher, and his passer rating is 8.6 points higher (103.2 vs. 94.5).

But the fact is the Chiefs let Hill go and went to the next three Super Bowls, winning two of them. When the Colts re-signed Wayne in 2006 to a modest deal that took up 6.4% of the cap, they did it because Marvin Harrison was 34 years old. That’s just smart business.

The Eagles may be closer to doing what the Bengals have just done, but the Eagles also don’t rely heavily on their passing game to win games or win last year’s Super Bowl. They have the offensive line and defense that the Bengals just can’t possibly do in one draft cycle. It would take multiple years of nailing drafts to copy that.

The reason you pay Burrow so much money is that you don’t have to pay a WR2 like Higgins elite money. You expect your quarterback’s skill to build up that player. They call it a “passing league” and not a “catching league” for a reason.

You can pay Chase since he’s such a unique talent with his YAC ability and chemistry with Burrow going back to LSU. But once the Bengals missed their window on paying Higgins, they should have moved on like most teams would have.

The fact is you don’t need a great WR2 to win a Super Bowl. Only three of the last 25 Super Bowl winners had a second-leading receiver with over 1,000 yards. All three of them had a Manning brother at quarterback too as those Super Bowl winners were often built differently from the pack.

Higgins is a good route runner with strong hands, but the fact is he’s missed 10 games over the last two seasons, he’s never had 1,100 receiving yards in any of his five seasons, and he’s likely already peaked in this offense. That’s the kind of player you let try to be a WR1 on another franchise (hello, Peerless Price) and focus your spending on improving that defense and line or finding a cheaper WR2 like when the Broncos got Emmanuel Sanders instead of overpaying to keep Eric Decker in 2014.

Teams who don’t have to pay their quarterback top dollar can afford to spend at wideout. Think Jayden Daniels on his rookie contract in Washington. You can pay more to Terry McLaurin and trade for Deebo Samuel when your quarterback isn’t making over $50M per season.

But teams like the Bengals and Cowboys are going to try to spend as much as they can on three or four players they deem to be the most important. At least in Dallas’ case, they fired their head coach and went a different direction for 2025. The Bengals are just trying to get by with an expensive core with the same coach we’re still actively questioning if he’s cut out for the job.

Give the Bengals a pat on the back for not being cheap? Miss me with that. Being cheap got them into this predicament. Now they’ve just made it more expensive for the other 31 teams to keep their receivers in town beyond that first contract.

If you’re going to take lessons from the 2024 Eagles on how to build a Super Bowl winner in today’s NFL, start with the trenches, the pass rush, and the ability to block. Focusing on how much they’ve paid their quarterback and two wide receivers so they can throw the fewest passes in the league means you’ve missed the point of why they won.

But I’d expect nothing less from a Cincinnati team that still thinks its offense led to a Super Bowl appearance in 2021 more than a defense that forced seven timely turnovers.

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Photo of Scott Kacsmar Scott Kacsmar25/03/2025 - 09:52 am