The contract drama is finally over, with Higgins signing a four-year, $115 million deal in March after playing out 2024 on a franchise tag. His tag season showed both the good and the bad, highlighted by career-best marks for PPR scoring average (18.7), touchdowns (10), catches per game (6.1) and targets per game (9.1). The only bad part was missing five games for a second straight year, and again on account of soft-tissue injuries to his lower body. Unlike in 2023, however, Higgins was almost always at full strength when he took the field, not limping around or handling limited snap counts. His per-route production was in line with numbers from 2021 and 2022, with the per-game numbers getting a big boost because Joe Burrow attempted a league-high 652 passes while trying to keep pace with all the points piled up against Cincinnati's dreadful defense. The Bengals don't want to repeat that formula, but they ultimately may have to, with big contracts for Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase being the headlines of an otherwise quiet offseason. The talent and money in Cincinnati remain overwhelmingly on the offensive side of the ball, which means Higgins should stay busy and productive if his troublesome hamstrings hold up for most of the year.

• Jalen Pitre
  DB
• Chris Moore
  WR
• Bobby Price
  DB
• Shemar Jean-Charles
  DB
• Nate Ebner
  DB
• Josh Simmons
  OL
• Elic Ayomanor
  WR
• Nick Gargiulo
  OL