After failing to come to a new deal with the Bengals last fall, Ja'Marr Chase could become the NFL's first $40 million WR in 2025.

The Cincinnati Bengals are expected to use the franchise tag on wideout Tee Higgins to try and keep their offensive trio of Higgins, Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase intact. However, the situation could get even more complicated with NFL insider Jordan Schultz reporting Chase will command at least $40 million per year on his next contract extension.

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Up to this point, the Cincinnati Bengals have failed to secure three of their top players on long-term contracts, with Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Trey Hendrickson all angling for new deals. Behind closed doors,

A Chase extension could indeed be friendly in Year 1, depending on the structure. That could, in turn, give the Bengals wiggle room to frontload another deal and/or pay out big for Higgins and/or Hendrickson, if not both, offsetting the big spike on Chase’s cap hits after 2025.

Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase is likely to become the league's highest-paid player at the position. So, what does that mean for Cincinnati?

The Cincinnati Bengals could’ve signed Ja’Marr Chase to a contract extension last season. They usually drive a hard bargain, and they didn’t change their tactics for their superstar wide receiver. Now,

The viral meme, shared by Chase on his Instagram stories, puts the Bengals happily in the background of a lopsided fight. Chase shades the Chiefs as often as possible, whether it’s trashing the secondary or refusing to mention Patrick Mahomes’ name on top-quarterback lists.