This has been an eventful offseason for the Cincinnati Bengals, but not for the best reasons.
It seems like several players aren’t exactly satisfied with their situation, with some of them even requesting trades.
That’s why it’s not much of a surprise to see that two of their best players aren’t in attendance for their voluntary OTAs.
According to a report by ESPN insider Adam Schefter, the WR star duo of Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins decided to skip the first day of voluntary OTAs.
No Ja’Marr Chase nor Tee Higgins at the start of the Bengals voluntary OTAs. Both players are seeking new deals. pic.twitter.com/mVD04ke1G3
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 28, 2024
Schefter pointed out that both of them are currently seeking new contracts.
However, they’re both in very different positions.
Chase is most definitely going to get a record-breaking contract.
His future with the team has never been in doubt, as he’s Joe Burrow’s No. 1 target and one of the best wide receivers in the game.
As for Higgins, his situation isn’t as clear.
The team has been quite vocal about their desire to keep him around for the long run, and he’s also talked about wanting to stay in Cincinnati for years to come.
Nonetheless, the team reportedly hasn’t even tried to negotiate a contract extension at this point, and they just want him to play under the franchise tag.
The Bengals already lost several key contributors to their offense in RB Joe Mixon, WR Tyler Boyd, and OC Brian Callahan, but there have been rumors about them potentially being forced to move on from Higgins as well if he refuses to play under these current circumstances.
