The Cincinnati Bengals have certainly made a splash this offseason, making sure their offensive stars are around for the long haul. One Kansas City Chiefs offensive star had some pretty choice words to describe his feelings about Cincinnati’s high-roller, big-money moves.
‘It’s Just Never Been Done:’ Bengals Spending Big on Offense
Speaking on his “New Heights” podcast with his brother Jason Kelce, Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce made it clear what he thinks of the Bengals paying their trio of offensive stars a record-breaking number.
“For those who are wondering, yes, Joe Burrow [is] making $55 million per year, Ja’Marr Chase making just over $40 mil a year, and Tee Higgins making close to $30 mil a year. That’s over $125 million per year in new money on just three offensive players,” the Chiefs star said. “When you say it like that, that is f***ing bonkers. I’m not going to say it shouldn’t be done. It’s just never been done.”
Bonkers indeed — Kelce is not the only person who was shocked about the move to secure both Higgins and Chase.
The deal to keep the star pass-catching duo around totals around $70 million per year. When added to Burrow’s $55 million per year, a deal he signed in September 2023 (five years for $275 million), the total for the three offensive cornerstones totals around $125 million per year. No team in NFL history has ever dished out a sum of money this large to an offensive trio.
The Kelce brothers discussed what deals for offensive trios might look like in the future. The former Eagles center highlighted that a similar deal could come into play for Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and wide receivers DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown.
“Well, the Eagles gotta be pretty dang close with A.J. Brown; DeVonta Smith is gonna be up for a contract soon, and Jalen Hurts — get ready to see that one. Or they’re gonna let DeVonta Smith go, I don’t think that’s happening,” said the former Eagles star.
His theory is in play as the Eagles’ trio contributed in big ways to help lead Philly to their second Super Bowl victory, a 40-22 rout of Kansas City in Super Bowl 59. All three are valuable to their offensive success.
Brown is due to hit the open market after the 2026 season, while Hurts will not be a free agent until after the 2027 season. Smith is around one year longer than both though reworked deals and extensions are possible.
Can the Bengals Return to the Super Bowl?
The key point in this, however, is the NFL’s salary cap. The Bengals trio’s deals could leave them with limited cap space going forward, posing questions about the rest of their lineup, specifically on defense.
Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo was fired at the end of the 2024 season after the Bengals’ defense underperformed and cost Cincinnati some important games and ultimately a chance at the playoffs. While their offense was potent, the Bengals’ defense was 28th in the NFL, according to PFSN’s Defense+ metric.
Getting — or keeping — key defensive pieces, like defensive end Trey Hendrickson, should also be a priority for a team that finished the season allowing an average of 343.3 yards per game in 2024, which was 25th in the league.
The Bengals struggled to reach the playoffs this past year with Burrow, Higgins, and Chase already in prime form; it will be interesting to see how they plan to improve after backing themselves into a corner financially.
Time will tell if deals like this will become more common in the years to come as the salary cap in the NFL continues to balloon. If the Eagles keep their big three on big deals too, maybe then it will be Jason who finds the deal “f***ing bonkers” next.
Who Are Some of the Highest-Paid Offensive Trios in the NFL?
Among the highest-paid QBs in the NFL, several are paired and locked in alongside one of the highest-paid wide receivers in the NFL. However, when it comes to the highest-paid QB/WR duos, not many teams compare to the Bengals in terms of the third-highest-paid offensive star.
Teams With a Top-10-Paid QB and WR’s per-Year AAV Among Top 3 Offensive Players:
- Cincinnati: Burrow, Chase, Higgins ($124 million annual average value, AAV)
- Miami: Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle ($111.35 million AAV)
- Detroit: Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Penei Sewell ($111 million AAV)
- Dallas: Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, Terence Steele ($110.5 million AAV)
- Philadelphia: Hurts, Brown, Smith ($108 million AAV)
This unprecedented cash allocation brings into question whether or not it will work out in the long term. While the Eagles are coming off a Super Bowl-winning campaign, they are paying just 87% of the per-year number Cincinnati dished out this offseason.
The Bengals will have to navigate new waters in terms of cap constraints, and while the salary cap promises to continue to rise, it will be a challenge for Cinci to solve the puzzle of how to best fill out its roster.
