The Cleveland Browns just pulled off one of the most strategic financial moves in recent NFL history, and their division rivals, the Cincinnati Bengals, are feeling the heat.
By inking star edge rusher Myles Garrett to a record-breaking deal, Cleveland didn’t just secure their defensive cornerstone- they made life significantly harder for Cincinnati’s front office.
Garrett’s new contract guarantees him $123.5 million and pays a staggering $40 million per season, resetting the bar for non-quarterback salaries. And that’s bad news for the Cincinnati Bengals, who have long promised wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase that he would become the league’s highest-paid non-quarterback.
Thanks to Cleveland’s bold move, that price tag just skyrocketed.
A Costly Delay For The Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati had its chance to extend Chase last offseason. They were close to finalizing a deal, but talks broke down at the last moment. Now, their hesitation is about to cost them big time. Chase, who led the league in receptions (127), receiving yards (1,708), and touchdowns (17) last season, is in a prime position to demand a historic payday.
“The earlier we can do some of this stuff, the freer it gives us to build the rest of the team,” Cincinnati Bengals Director of Player Personnel Duke Tobin said at the NFL Combine. That plan just got significantly more complicated. The Bengals will now need to top Garrett’s deal to keep their promise to Chase, likely handing him a contract worth at least $40.5 million annually.
Had Cincinnati extended Chase last September, they would have locked in their superstar at a bargain. Instead, they waited, and Cleveland Browns pounced. Now, the Bengals are staring down the reality of an even bigger financial commitment- a situation entirely of their own making but brilliantly engineered by the Browns.
Cleveland Browns didn’t just pay their own guy; th