Bengals plan to keep Tee Higgins, and negotiations to extend Ja’Marr Chase have not yet started.
Tee Higgins was not shocked when the Bengals applied the franchise tag to him, but he has since asked to be traded. The lack of a long-term contract has raised concerns about the talented receiver’s future, but a deal that would move him outside of Cincinnati is still unlikely.
Head coach Zac Taylor stated during the league meetings earlier this week that Higgins is definitely in the team’s 2024 plans (via Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer). That is consistent with recent news reports on the subject, which stated that trade negotiations have not yet taken place. EVP Katie Blackburn has expressed a similar opinion to Taylor.
Regarding Higgins, Blackburn stated, “The plan is to definitely get through this year” (via Conway). It is our responsibility to advance to these subsequent stages, begin examining the entire roster, and determine how to make everything work together. We’ll see how everything turns out.
In comparison to the money he received from his rookie contract, Higgins’s $21.82MM tag salary this season is a significant increase and maybe a good starting point for the value of a long-term deal. Although the 25-year-old has three career touchdowns above 900 yards, it would obviously be more realistic for Higgins to sign a massive second contract with a team that uses him as their main wide receiver. In Cincinnati, such position is held by Ja’Marr Chase, who will likely receive more funding in the future.
Chase has three seasons of league experience and is eligible for an extension. Despite missing five games last year and one more in 2023, the former No. 5 pick has lived up to expectations while healthy, amassing 3,717 yards and 29 touchdowns thus far. Like Justin Jefferson, Chase is a candidate to sign the highest-paying wide receiver contract in the NFL. Justin Jefferson was a teammate at LSU.
In a different Conway article, Blackburn notably stated that extension negotiations with Chase have not yet started. “It’s basically the next step to put some of those things together and think about it,” she remarked. “I am unable to predict where any of it will end up. To try to find a solution that will work best for the club, we will definitely research it and see what we can learn.
With Joe Burrow inked a $55MM-per-year agreement last offseason, Higgins and Chase’s long-term retention will be a significant concern. The latter can (and most likely will) be signed until 2025 by using the fifth-year option, which would afford the team another offseason to negotiate a massive contract. Jefferson’s market, which was impacted by his inability to reach a deal with the Vikings during the previous offseason, may influence Chase’s.
Tyreek Hill tops the field at the receiver position with a $30MM AAV as a result. Along with Chase, other wideouts eligible for extensions who could reach that total are Jefferson and CeeDee Lamb. There are still many unanswered questions regarding the Bengals’ short- and long-term financial strategy, so it will continue to be something to constantly monitor.
With Tony Pollard now not within the picture, the Ranchers are an self-evident candidate to draft a running back following month. A experienced marking some time recently at that point would come as small surprise, though, and a match of high-profile names may be peering toward a Dallas understanding.
When talking at the alliance gatherings, head coach Mike McCarthy affirmed (by means of NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo) Dallas will be making at slightest one expansion at the RB spot. The Cattle rustlers held Rico Dowdle, who wrapped up second on the group in surging yards final season. Dallas moreover has 2023 sixth-rounder Deuce Vaughn within the backfield, but an experienced choice would be a invited expansion to require the put of Pollard.
Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News reports both Ezekiel Elliott and Dalvin Cook “have intrigued in possibly signing” with the Ranchers. Within the former’s case, a bargain would of course speak to a get-together. Elliott went through his to begin with seven seasons with Dallas, twice driving the association in hurrying amid that span. His productivity started to melt away over time, in spite of the fact that, and by the conclusion of his Ranchers spell he was utilized more as a short-yardage pro than a genuine lead back.
The Cattle rustlers, as expected, released the previous No. 4 choose final offseason with no ensured cash remaining on his bargain. Elliott marked a one-year settlement with the Nationalists, and he part time with Rhamondre Stevenson for much of the year. Elliott saw a career-low 184 carries in 2023, and his 3.5 yards per endeavor normal was too the most exceedingly bad figure of his NFL residency. Particularly in a year which saw a few high-end backs rapidly arrive modern bargains, it comes as no shock the 28-year-old (who, in reasonableness, drew exchange intrigued at the due date) is still on the market.
Cook moreover persevered a disillusioning season in 2023 after seeing his long-term Vikings residency come to an conclusion. After being let go by Minnesota, a long free operator handle resulted. Cook eventually joined the Planes, but he battled to carve out a part nearby Breece Lobby within the backfield. Modern York deferred the 28-year-old in January, setting up a brief try out period with the Ravens.
Baltimore used Cook sparingly within the postseason, and with Derrick Henry presently in put a re-up with another experienced can be considered impossible. Bounty of snaps will probably be accessible in Dallas for Elliott, Cook or another experienced back trying to find a unused bargain. Dallas would of course still be anticipated to utilize a Day 2 or 3 pick on a back amid the draft indeed with a experienced marking, but with $6.7MM in cap space the group can bear a low-cost expansion at the position.
Full Story 11 Comments Categories:
Dallas CowboysDalvin CookEzekiel Elliott
LSU WR Malik Nabers Meets With Six Groups
Walk 28th, 2024 at 9:
50pm CST by Ben Levine
Malik Nabers has set up himself as a authoritative top-10 pick, and it sounds like a number of groups seem be fighting for the wideout’s administrations. Concurring to NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe, Nabers mets with the Nationalists, Titans, Planes, and Jaguars on Tuesday evening some time recently having supper with the Giants that night. The collector too met with the Cardinals recently.
Whereas Marvin Harrison Jr. is still anticipated to be the primary wideout off the draft board, Nabers has certainly given the Ohio State WR a run for his cash in mock drafts. Known for his top-end speed and flexibility, Nabers would be a straightforward fit in any offense, and the right offensive coordinator might get inventive with how they utilize the nation’s pioneer in accepting yards per amusement (120.7).
Among the groups said, the Loyalists (No. 3) and Cardinals (No. 4) would be in the driver’s situate to draft the LSU item, in spite of the fact that it’d be yearning to choose the collector with their particular picks. In case either Modern Britain or Arizona lands the prospect, it’d for the most part likely come after moving back within the to begin with circular.
That would at that point make the Mammoths (No. 6) the potential favorites for Nabers. The collector gone to with the organization earlier this month, and the approaching rookie recognized that his most later supper with the group went “great.”
“Those are a few amusing folks to be around,” Nabers told Ryan Dunleavy of the Modern York Post. “I opened up my identity to those folks. It’s not difficult to conversation to them. They know me actually as a player. … I listened Brian, the head coach, cherishes the way I play. It’s fair incredible to be around the air with those folks again.”
On the off chance that the Giants turn to another position, the Titans might scoop the WR at No. 7, although the group has already invested heavily within the position this offseason. In spite of including Mike Williams, the Planes are moreover looking for more hostile capability, and there’s small chance Nabers sneaks past them at No. 10.
The Pumas are an interesting inclusion. The group right now sits at No. 17, meaning they’d got to swing a exchange into the top-10 in arrange to choose the wide recipient. The group supplanted Calvin Ridley with Gabe Davis, adding the previous Charge to a gathering that moreover incorporates Christian Kirk and Zay Jones.
Full Story Comments Categories:
2024 NFL DraftArizona CardinalsJacksonville JaguarsNew Britain PatriotsNew York GiantsNew York JetsTennessee TitansMalik Nabers
Most recent On Steelers’ QB Circumstance
March 28th, 2024 at 8:
17pm CST by Ben Levine
The Steelers entered the offseason with a few desire of shaking up their quarterbacks room. Be that as it may, Steelers common supervisor Omar Khan admitted this week that he never would have envisioned the group including both Russell Wilson and Justin Areas.
“I’m energized almost both of those players,” Khan said prior this week (through Dale Lolley of the team’s site). “They’re both truly great quarterbacks. If you would have told me a month ago in Indy that we’d be here and Russell Wilson and Justin Areas would be our quarterbacks, I’d say, I’d be a small bit surprised.”
When the season finished with however another one-and-done playoff appearance, Khan gave Kenny Pickett a vote of certainty. At the same time, the GM recognized that the Steelers would likely add some competition at the position. That mindset didn’t last as well long, as both Russell (through free organization) and Areas (through exchange) were procured much appreciated to enormous rebates. The Steelers were too able to discover a exchange accomplice for Pickett in the Eagles, permitting them to totally reset their QB profundity chart. In spite of the sudden rotate, Khan made it clear that it had nothing to do with Pickett’s capacity.
“Nothing has changed. I still have a parcel of faith in Kenny Pickett,” Khan said. “Kenny’s a great football player, a great quarterback. I think he’s got a huge future within the NFL. Things fair kind of advanced. I couldn’t truly have predicted that things would go the way they did.”
Now, the Steelers will move their center to their two new signal callers. Mike Tomlin made it clear this week that Wilson is in “pole position” to be Pittsburgh’s beginning quarterback, in spite of the fact that Areas will in the long run have the “opportunity to compete” when the time comes. Tomlin famous the advantage of having clarity at the position, which is why he’s been clear when examining his team’s QB arrange.
“We’ve been exceptionally straightforward almost the pecking arrange, at slightest to start,” Tomlin said earlier this week (by means of ESPN’s Brooke Pryor). “I fair think that gives clarity for all parties included. Russell may be a ingenious, man. He’s got a proven prepare of availability. He’s been in this association a long time. He’s able of reviving troops, collectors, tight closes, running backs, et cetera. He’s fair got a parcel of experience in terms of what it takes to be the fellow over the course of a 12-month calendar and I fair think that that’s something that a more youthful fellow like Justin seem learn from.”
While the Steelers were clearly dynamic within the QB advertise, the group didn’t seek after the biggest available title. Tomlin told columnists (counting Pryor) that the Steelers didn’t make a run at Kirk Cousins, who ended up getting $180MM from the Falcons.
Some time recently Sam Howell was managed to the Seahawks, the quarterback pulled in intrigued from a modest bunch of other suitors. As ESPN’s Brady Henderson composes, at slightest three other groups arranged a Howell exchange with the Commanders.
[RELATED:
Commanders To Exchange QB Sam Howell To Seahawks]
One of those squads is accepted to be the Rams, who have as of now turned absent from Carson Wentz as Matthew Stafford’s essential reinforcement. When the Rams misplaced out on the Howell sweepstakes to their division equal, they finished up turning to experienced Jimmy Garoppolo, who will miss the primary two recreations of the season after being suspended for PEDs. There was a few later chatter that the Rams may well be a suitor for Planes bust Zach Wilson, and it appears lovely clear that the front office was looking to reset the QB profundity chart with a ingenious reinforcement and a recovery venture.
Eventually, the Seahawks won out, sending a third- and fifth-round choose to Washington for Howell, a fourth-round choose, and a sixth-round choose. Seattle has made it exceptionally clear that Geno Smith still sits on the profundity chart, in spite of the fact that common supervisor John Schneider as of late conceded that his most up to date securing might “absolutely” be a full-time starter (by means of Henderson).
Howell was sacked a league-high 65 times final season. As Henderson notes, portion of that fault has been put on Howell, who has been criticized for holding the ball as well long. Be that as it may, the Seahawks are persuaded the QB was “hesitant whereas playing behind a battling O-line,” and he may exceed expectations with way better work force.
With that in intellect, the Seahawks still have work to do on their possess hostile line, with both protect spots right now open. Henderson focuses to free specialists Laken Tomlinson and Cody Whitehair as two potential targets for the organization.