Bengals hope Burrow, Chase and Higgins continuity pays off

CINCINNATI — Amid all the headlines and chatter surrounding the Cincinnati Bengals’ summer and training camp, the three biggest names on the roster were noticeably absent.

Instead, quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins had a relatively nondescript build-up to the regular season.

No big offseason haircuts or comeback stories. No contract drama. Just three guys getting ready for one of the biggest years of their careers.

At the end of the season, Cincinnati’s star offensive trio wants to be in the conversation that matters — winning a Super Bowl. By completing a full offseason together, Burrow and Co. have crossed off a major box that is needed for a team that has built everything around them.

“We’ve got tremendous players. Any time they can be healthy, walk on the field together and continue to put that stress on the other team, it gives us a lot of confidence as a team,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said.

Having all three available at full strength has not been a luxury Cincinnati has enjoyed in previous summers.

Last year, Chase did not participate in training camp as he awaited a contract extension that didn’t arrive until after the season. That compounded problems as Burrow, who sported a blond buzz cut, was working his way back from a season-ending wrist injury in 2023.

Once the 2024 season started, it took a few weeks for the Bengals to find their rhythm, but by then they were 0-3.

Even though Burrow was an MVP finalist, Chase won the receiving triple crown — most receiving yards (1,708), catches (127) and receiving touchdowns (17) — and Higgins posted a career-high 10 TDs, it wasn’t enough to keep Cincinnati from missing the postseason for the second consecutive year.

“Ja’Marr barely practiced at all before the first game last year,” Burrow said in July. “That was tough gameplan wise, timing wise, rhythm wise.”

This offseason, the Bengals quickly made sure there was no contract drama with Chase or Higgins this year. They each earned long-term contracts worth a grand total of $276 million.

At NFL league meetings in Florida, Bengals executive vice president Katie Blackburn said keeping those receivers with Burrow could be a major advantage.

“There’s no guarantee, obviously, but that is something that is an important thing,” Blackburn said in April. “Them having that consistency and familiarity should be a strength.”

Nobody in the NFL leans on their passing attack more than the Bengals. In 2024, Cincinnati led the league in passing yards per game (272.9) and had the largest share of yards that were gained by the pass at 74.7%, according to ESPN Research.

It’s fitting given the investments into Burrow, Chase and Higgins. Those three are the only veterans who will be under contract in 2028. And according to OverTheCap.com, that trio will earn a combined $90.4 million in cash this year, with Higgins actually making the most at $35.9 million.

When the Bengals signed those contracts, they also did their part to make sure their star offensive players spent a lot of time together this offseason. Higgins and Chase each had $100,000 workout bonuses included in their respective contracts, which added an incentive for them to participate in voluntary offseason workouts.

Higgins and Burrow were both drafted in 2020, with Chase being drafted a year later. To increase the likelihood that Higgins could stay as part of the trio, he hired Chase’s agent, Rocky Arceneaux, who finalized their respective contracts.

“I know Tee’s been on a different journey than I have with two different boats we’ve been in,” Chase told ESPN in July. “But we just basically added our boats together now and just learning from each other, building with each other.”

Chase and Higgins have not spoken often to local reporters this summer. Higgins has enjoyed the first offseason in years without having to worry about a contract, a source told ESPN this summer, adding that the chemistry with Burrow and the offense was reminiscent of 2021, the year the Bengals went to the Super Bowl.

Even with a relatively low-key build-up to the Sept. 7 opener against the Cleveland Browns, it’s been impossible to miss how well that trio has meshed in the preseason.

“It’s always better, in terms of being able to start fast, when you have all your guys out there on the field,” Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson said. “As an offense, they’re picking up where they left off last year.

“And I think they’ve only gotten better from where they were last year at this point in training camp.”