Cincinnati entered the offseason with contract questions surrounding several top players. But the Bengals handled most of them, signing Tee Higgins, Ja’Marr Chase, and Mike Gesicki to contract extensions.
One notable exception is disgruntled pass rusher Trey Hendrickson, who remains with the team despite being allowed to seek a trade and pushing for a new deal. Heading into 2025, Cincinnati sits around the league average in available cap space.
10 Highest-Paid Players on the Cincinnati Bengals
Players are sorted by their 2025 cap number, as listed by Over the Cap.
1. Joe Burrow, Quarterback ($46 million)
No surprise here. Joe Burrow tops the list after signing a five-year, $275 million contract extension in 2023, making him one of the highest-paid players in the league.
2. Tee Higgins, Wide Receiver ($24.06 million)
Higgins was headed for free agency before the Bengals used the franchise tag. They later locked him in with a four-year, $115 million extension—announced alongside fellow receiver Ja’Marr Chase’s deal.
3, Ja’Marr Chase, Wide Receiver ($23.57 million)
Chase led the NFL in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns last season, becoming just the third player to win the triple crown.
Hard work pays off for these former Tigers 😤
Joe Burrow: 5-year, $275 million extension signed in 2023
Justin Jefferson: 4-year, $140 million extension signed in 2024
Ja’Marr Chase: 4-year, $161 million extension signed this offseason
Derek Stingley Jr.: 3-year $90 million… pic.twitter.com/AL9nOhZfzn— NFL (@NFL) March 17, 2025
The Bengals rewarded him with a four-year, $161 million deal—the highest annual average for a non-quarterback in NFL history.
4. Trey Hendrickson, Edge Rusher ($18.67 million)
Hendrickson led the league in sacks last season and wants a new deal. He’s set to count $18.67 million against the cap in the final year of his current contract, but his future in Cincinnati is uncertain.
5. Orlando Brown Jr., Offensive Tackle ($15.03 million)
Brown joined the Bengals from the Chiefs in 2023 and is halfway through a four-year, $64 million deal. He’s returning from a fractured fibula suffered in Week 7 last season.
6. Logan Wilson, Linebacker ($8.76 million)
A 2018 third-round pick, Wilson signed an extension in 2023. He missed time last season with a knee injury but remains a key part of the defense.
7. B.J. Hill, Defensive Tackle ($8.63 million)
Hill re-signed with Cincinnati this offseason on a three-year, $33 million deal.
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The former Giants lineman has been a consistent presence since being traded to the Bengals.
8. Germaine Pratt, Linebacker ($8.18 million)
The longest-tenured Bengal on the roster, Pratt has asked for a trade. He’s entering the final year of a three-year, $20.25 million contract.
9. Mike Gesicki, Tight End ($7.67 million)
Gesicki earned a three-year, $25.5 million extension after a solid 2024 campaign, posting 65 catches for 665 yards and two touchdowns.
10. Joseph Ossai, Edge Rusher ($6.5 million)
A 2021 third-round pick, Ossai is yet to live up to his potential. He posted a career-high five sacks in 2024 and was rewarded with a one-year, $6.5 million deal ahead of free agency.
