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Indianapolis – Duke Tobin asked questions for 30 minutes on the podium, twice as much as the typical media availability of media in the NFL combination.
Tobin, Bengali‘De Facto Director General as a Player Director, has spent most of that time answering questions about how to pay Ja’marr Chase,, Tee Higgins and Trey HendricksonCincinnati’s trio of stars that all meet the conditions for new contracts. Tobin even joked how many times they asked him about the subject.
“I was pretty running out here,” he exclaimed. “Questions about a dynamic type, maybe I lost my dynamic nature. I don’t know.”
But the confidence he played because of the ambitious goal was obvious.
Tobin was not just an unwavering that the Bengals wanted to sign all three-to-chat that Chase had made the most paid non-quarterback in the history of the NFL-a-Veta was also a bull in connection with Cincinnati’s ability to do so. After all, the Bengals have $ 58.1 million in the effective salary limit for 2025, eighth on NFL, according to Over The Cap. They also have their books only $ 2.3 million dead money (players who are no longer on the list), lower than all except four teams. This emphasizes their financial flexibility.
“We are lucky to be in a position where we can fit them all,” Tobin said on Tuesday. “We managed to make our cap. We have a low dead money. We want a high salary and low dead money, so people who are in Cincinnati playing for us can get all the money. We want that. We are in a position to sign them again. That’s a good position. It’s really.
“It’s a high task,” he added. “We think we’re in that.”
So, how can Cincinnati do that?
He begins with an agreement with the Primor of Higgins, who should become an unlimited free agent next month – unlike Chase and Hendrickson, who enter the contract year.
(Connected: Top 100 2025 Agents without NFL: Tee Higgins, Sam Darnold leads the way)
The Bengals are available at the disposal of a franchise designation, played by Higgins last season. A non -exclusive competition would give him a salary of $ 26.2 million for $ 2025, which is 120% of his salary last season. But if Bengals use the mark until the deadline on Tuesday, it should only be as a place holder. If Higgins plays on the tag (again), the full amount would be counted with Cincinnati’s salary limit, unlike a much lower number of limitations and greater financial flexibility-it would come from years of work.
Higgins wants long -term security, probably a contract that exceeds $ 30 million on average annual values, which would insert it in the first seven in his position.
“He fits with us and we fit with him,” Tobin said of Higgins. “It’s a great match. There’s no reason not to try to continue the relationship.”
Chase’s job should be north of $ 35 million a year, at the top of the tag Minnesota Vikings‘ Justin Jefferson For the highest AAV for non-quarterback ever. Chase should be next after Higgins. And like Chase, the defensive end of Hendrickson could look to reset the market in this position, despite being 30 years old. There are 35 bags in the past two seasons, including League 17.5 in 2024. San Francisco 49ers‘ Nick barefoot It is currently on the Edge-Rusher market to $ 34 million a year.
By the end of this season, if everything goes according to plan, Bengals could have four players earning in the north of $ 30 million a year, including the attacker Joe Burrow and two receivers. This is feasible, because new contracts for Chase, Higgins and Hendrickson could retain salary restriction costs in the immediate future, as Burrow’s CAP number follows a significant jump next season. It will be $ 46 million in 2025, which is more than 16% of Cincinnati’s salary, per OTC. Chase’s tickets for next season should currently be $ 21.8 million, while Hendrickson was $ 18.6 million.
Increased flexibility of caps from the re -enhancement of their stars would also help Bengals to improve their defense, which cost the team a few games last season. Cincinnati, who missed the playoffs in the seasons backwards, took 25th place in points allowed in 2024, compared to sixth scoring with Burrow & Co.
“The sooner we can do (these contracts), the more free that gives us to build the rest of the team,” Tobin said. “We have other needs we want to build, so we want such things to end up early enough to a place where we can really focus on the construction of the rest of the football team.
“We don’t just want to sign these guys again and pay more for the same football team we had last year,” he added. “We want to add that, so we want to sign these guys again, reward them for the level of ability and add to the football team.”
An ambitious plan is underway.
Ben Arthur is a NFL journalist for Fox Sports. He had previously worked for the Tennessan/USA Today network, where he was Titans You beat the writer for a year and a half. He covered it Seattle Seahawks For seattlepi.com three seasons (2018-20) before moving to Tennessee. Ben you can follow on Twitter on @benyarthhur.
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