Bengals legend Chad Johnson had some predictions up his sleeve when it comes to Cincinnati’s star receiver duo of Ja’marr Chase and Tee Higgins. When it comes to Chase, Johnson predicted that the star receiver won’t suit up for the Bengals until he gets the contract extension that he’s seeking.
That sounds scary, but Johnson expects an extension to come to fruition before the start of the upcoming season. This prediction probably put a smile on the faces of Bengals fans, as locking up Chase on a long-term deal would be a wise move.
Johnson doesn’t think Higgins will be back with Bengals
But, Johnson’s prediction regarding Higgins may be received less favorably by the Cincinnati faithful. While Higgins will play out the 2024 campaign on the franchise tag, Johnson expects the star receiver to sign elsewhere in free agency next offseason.
Higgins requested a trade away from the Bengals at the onset of free agency due to a lack of long-term security with the franchise. “Well Tee, I think Tee’s going to play obviously on the franchise tag this year,” Johnson said. “He’ll be going somewhere else and he’ll get what’s deserving of him: Being paid like a number one receiver.”
Johnson made it clear that he doesn’t have any inside information. He’s basically making an educated guess, but he’s far from the first person to suggest that the ’24 season could very well be Higgins’ last in Cincinnati. It seems like the writing is already on the wall at this point in time. Higgins himself has acknowledged that his days with the Bengals might be numbered after the season.
“This could be the last ride for me and the guys. You never know,” Higgins said at the start of training camp. ” … I want to keep putting smiles on people’s faces, especially our fans. I grew a love for the city I didn’t think was going to happen. Love the fans. They embrace me. I hope to put on a show for them this year.”
Things could always change between now and next offseason. Who knows? Maybe the Bengals will decide they want to hang onto Higgins if he turns in a stellar season. Anything is possible. But, the reality remains that there will probably be other teams out there willing to pay more for Higgins’ services moving forward than the Bengals are. Some sound advice for Bengals fans would be to enjoy and appreciate Higgins while you can.
