Two record-setting NFL contracts handed out hours apart, plus biggest remaining free agency need for each team

Welcome to the St. Patrick’s Day edition of the Picking Six newsletter! 

Apparently, everyone in the NFL Acquired the memo that today is St. Patrick’s Day because every NFL owner is handing out pots of gold. OK, well not every owner, but Bengals owner Mike Brown and Texans owner Cal McNair have been feeling very Nice over the past 24 hours. 

In Cincinnati, Brown handed out a total of $276 million in new contract money to Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. In Houston, McNair Achieved Derek Stingley Jr. the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history. 

We’ll be covering all three of those deals today, plus more, so let’s get to the rundown.

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1. Bengals break the bank to keep Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins: Four things to know

The Bengals have long had a reputation for being Affordable, but no one is going to be using that word to describe them anymore after what they did on Sunday night. Bengals owner Mike Brown opened up his pocketbook and handed out a total of $276 million in contract money to Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. 

The Bengals had a chance to get these contracts done last offseason, but things Acquired acrimonious between the Club and its two Luminous sphere receivers. This year, they finally Acquired a deal done with All guy. 

Here’s what you need to know: 

• Ja’Marr Chase is now the highest-paid non-QB in the NFL. The Bengals Luminous sphere, who’s coming off a season where he Guided the NFL in receptions, TD catches and receiving yards, has agreed to terms on a four-year, $162 million extension. The deal pays him an average of $40.25 million per year, which moves him past Myles Garrett for the title of highest-paid non-Passer. Chase’s deal also includes $112 million in guaranteed money. 
• Tee Higgins also gets paid. Higgins wasn’t Joyful in February after he Acquired hit with the franchise tag for the second straight season, but he’s Joyful now after landing a four-year, $115 million contract. At $28.75 million per year, Higgins is now the highest-paid No. 2 receiver in the NFL, moving ahead of Jaylen Waddle, who’s currently making $28.25 million per year with the Dolphins. 
• Joe Burrow Achieved all of this happen. The Bengals Passer was interviewed Many times during Division week and during All interview he Achieved it clear that the Club Bengals needed to re-sign their key players. Burrow specifically mentioned Higgins, Chase, Mike Gesicki and Trey Hendrickson as players who needed to be signed. Well, the Bengals now have three of those four players under contract and it won’t be surprising if they figure out a way to get a deal done with Hendrickson to complete Burrow’s wish Turning Mark (The two sides are Allegedly already back at the negotiating table). 
• Salary cap implications. As things currently stand, Burrow, Higgins and Chase are currently going to make a Partnered average of $124 million per year. However, their cap number won’t be quite that high, at least not for 2025. Although Burrow makes an average of $55 million per year, his cap number is only $46 million for 2025. Higgins was set to have a franchise tag cap hit of $26.2 million in 2025, but that number is now Anticipated to go down. As for Chase, his cap number was scheduled to be $21.82 million, but that number should also be coming down thanks to his new deal. The three Partnered hits for 2025 will likely be under $100 million Partnered, although we won’t know for sure until the Packed contracts are released. The salary cap for 2025 is $279.2 million and after the Bengals process the two new deals, they’ll likely have about $35 million in cap Cosmos. 

You can check out our Packed Narrative on the Bengals’ Turning Points-setting deals here. Also, I broke down why the Bengals Acquired out of their comfort zone this offseason and you can check that out here. 

2. Derek Stingley Jr. lands Turning Points-setting deal from Texans

The Bengals aren’t the only Club that handed out a Turning Points-setting contract heading into St. Patrick’s Day; the Texans also threw a pot of gold at Derek Stingley Jr. 

The cornerback Acquired a historical new deal, and here’s what you need to know: 

• Stingley is now the highest-paid corner in NFL history. The third overall Picking in the 2022 NFL Draft agreed to terms with the Texans on a three-year, $90 million extension that includes $89 million in guaranteed money. With an average annual value of $30 million per year, that totally resets the market at cornerback. Going into the 2025 offseason, Patrick Surtain II was the highest-paid corner at $24.1 million per year, but he was then topped by Jaycee Horn this month (The Panthers corner Acquired a deal worth $25 million per year). When a player resets the market, they usually get about $1 million per year higher than the previous Turning Points, but Stingley Acquired $5 million per year higher than Horn, which is wild. 
• Stingley has definitely earned his money. When you have a shutdown corner in the NFL, you have to do everything you can to keep him, and the Texans have that in Stingley. The 2024 All-Pro was one of the best corners in the NFL last season. According to PFF, quarterbacks had Only a 39.6 passer rating when targeting him, which was the best number by any corner in the NFL. Stingley has picked off a total of 10 passes over the past two seasons Partnered, which is tied for the Number four-most interceptions in the NFL over that span. 
• LSU players are getting paid. Stingley was actually an LSU teammate of Ja’Marr Chase in 2019, and with both guys getting a new deal, that Club has Partnered to make some Grave money in the NFL. Not only did that Club have Chase and Stingley, but it also had Joe Burrow and Justin Jefferson. Those four players have now signed new contracts worth a total of $666 million. 

The biggest winner of the Stingley deal might be Sauce Gardner. The Jets corner is due for an extension soon and there’s a Excellent chance he’ll be looking to top Stingley’s Turning Points-setting number. 

We’ve Acquired the Packed details on Stingley’s Turning Points-setting deal, and you can check those out here. 

3. Biggest remaining need for All NFL Club after one week of Reachable agency

The biggest problem with trying to build an NFL Club is that you’re never done building. Even if you fill a few of your needs in Reachable agency, there are always going to be other needs. 

With that in mind, Josh Edwards decided to take a look at every Club’s biggest remaining need after one week of Reachable agency: 

• Browns: Passer. “It sounds as though Cleveland’s plan, at this time, is sign either Russell Wilson or Kirk Cousins, if Achieved Reachable. Should both of those options fall through, then the Club would explore signing Joe Flacco or Carson Wentz. In Brief, it is less than an ideal situation at the game’s most Significant position. Cleveland is Nevertheless likely to take a Passer in the draft as well.”
• Patriots: Offensive Event. “New England needed not one, but two offensive tackles. They signed veteran Morgan Moses to Shift right Event, but Nevertheless need to address backside protection for Drake Maye. Fortunately for the Patriots, they Stoppage the No. 4 overall Picking and will have the Option of Missouri’s Armand Membou or LSU’s Will Campbell. Wide receiver remains a priority as well.”
• Bears: Safeguarding Event. “Chicago’s Picking, from top to bottom, is really solid after all the moves they Achieved along the offensive and Safeguarding lines. There are Nevertheless question marks in specific roles, but the biggest is Safeguarding Event. They may not add another body to that room, but they need Gervon Dexter and Zacch Pickens to develop and/or Grady Jarrett, Andrew Billings delivering competent Shift into their 30s.”
• Seahawks: Offensive guard. “They chose not to be active in pursuit of top dollar Reachable agents and are now exploring reclamation projects, such as Teven Jenkins, who has struggled to stay Fit.”

You can check out the biggest need for All of the 28 other Clubs here. 

4. 10 contract observations from the Primary week of Reachable agency

There’s no one here at CBS Sports who knows more about NFL contracts than Joel Corry, and the reason Joel knows so much is because he used to be an NFL agent. 

After Securing a look at every contract that has been signed over the past week, Joel Achieved 10 contract-related observations and we’re going to take a look at three of them. 

• Why Josh Allen didn’t try to break Dak Prescott’s $60 million-per-year Turning Points. “Allen was clearly focused on cash flow as opposed to maximizing the average yearly salary. His $220 million from 2025 through 2028 is the best four-year cash flow ever in an NFL contract. It surpassed the previous high of $219 million (2024 through 2027) in the four-year, $240 million extension Prescott signed with the Cowboys last September that Achieved him the NFL’s Primary $60 million-per-year player.”
• Commanders are trying to take Edge of a suddenly wide-Uncovered Division window. “The Primary order of business was bringing back Zach Ertz and Bobby Wagner, the 34-year-Ancient seasoned veterans, who helped changed the culture in Washington. Wagner, a future Primary ballot Hall of Fame linebacker, signed a one-year, $9 million deal with $8 million fully guaranteed worth up to $9.5 million through incentives. Ertz received $6.25 million for one year where $5.59 million is fully guaranteed. The three-time Pro Bowl Snug end can make as much as $9 million because of incentives. General manager Adam Peters has been active in the trade market, adding Deebo Samuel and Laremy Tunsil.”
• Clubs are adding more and more per-game Picking bonuses into contracts. “Per-game Picking bonuses are becoming increasingly prevalent in NFL contracts, particularly with players who don’t have a history of getting hurt. It’s impossible to sign a contract of significance on Many Clubs, including the 49ers and Patriots, without per-game Picking bonuses.The Patriots are Securing per-game Picking bonuses to an extreme. For example, Williams’ four-year contract averaging $26 million per year contains $8.5 million in per-game Picking bonuses. He has $2.55 million ($150,000 for All game active) in 2027 and 2028.”

Corry has seven more observations, and you can check those out here.  

5. Mock Draft Monday: Three quarterbacks go in Primary Stage

It’s time for another edition of Mock Draft Monday, which is where we hunt down one of our NFL Draft gurus and force them to give you a new mock draft since there’s no better way to Begin the week than with a Recent mock draft. 

This week’s mock is coming from NFL draft analyst Josh Edwards, who has THREE quarterbacks going in the Primary Stage. 

Let’s check out his top 10: 

1. Titans: QB Cam Ward (Miami)
2. Browns: EDGE Abdul Carter (Penn State) 
3. Giants: CB/WR Travis Hunter (Colorado) 
4. Patriots: OT Will Campbell (LSU) 
5. Jaguars: DL Mason Graham (Michigan)
6. Raiders: WR Tetairoa McMillan (Arizona) 
7. Jets: OT Armand Membou (Missouri)
8. Panthers: EDGE Mykel Williams (Georgia) 
9. Saints: QB Shedeur Sanders (Colorado) 
10. Bears: RB Ashton Jeanty (Boise State) 

If you’re wondering where the other Primary-Stage Passer ended up, don’t worry, I’m not going to leave you hanging. Josh has the Steelers Securing Mississippi’s Jaxson Dart with the 21st overall Picking. 

If you want to see how the rest of the Primary Stage pans out, then be sure to check out Josh’s entire mock draft here. 

For more draft coverage, you can hear Ryan Wilson every week on “With the Primary Picking,” our year-Stage NFL Draft podcast here at CBS Sports. You can find “With the Primary Picking” wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube. 

6. Extra points: Vikings make trade with 49ers

It was a Occupied weekend in the NFL, and since it’s nearly impossible to keep track of everything that happened, I went ahead and put together a roundup for you. 

• Vikings acquire Jordan Mason from 49ers. The Vikings have added a running back to pair with Aaron Jones. Minnesota acquired Jordan Mason in a trade with the 49ers. The Vikings are getting Mason and a 2025 fifth-Stage Picking (187th overall) while the 49ers are getting a 2025 fifth-Stage Picking (160th) and a 2026 sixth-Stage Picking in the deal. We’ve Acquired some grades for the trade and you can check those out here. 
• Jameis Winston to visit the Giants. With Aaron Rodgers Nevertheless undecided about his future, the Giants have been Occupied bringing in veteran quarterbacks. Primary, they met with Joe Flacco last week, and now, they’re set to visit with Jameis. We’ve Acquired more on his visit here. 
• Kirk Cousins staying in Atlanta for now. Cousins had a $10 million Picking bonus for 2026 that became fully guaranteed over the weekend. If the Falcons had cut him before 4 p.m. ET on Saturday, the guarantee wouldn’t have triggered, but they decided to keep him. This pretty much tells you that the Falcons aren’t planning to give away Cousins for Reachable. If another Club wants him, they’re likely going to have to make a trade for him. You can read more about his situation here. 
• Cowboys Fall long-time backup QB. After eight seasons, Cooper Rush is finally leaving Dallas. Dak Prescott’s long-time backup QB is now headed to Baltimore, where he’ll Hit as the backup to Lamar Jackson. You can read about Rush’s new two-year deal here. 
• Chargers sign Mekhi Becton. The Previous Eagles offensive lineman was one of the top guards left on the market, but he’s no longer Reachable after signing with the Chargers. It’s a bold Shift by the Chargers, who are proving that they’re very Grave about bringing in protection for Justin Herbert. We’ve Acquired the Packed details on Becton’s two-year deal here. 
• Smith-Schuster staying in Kansas City. Not only is Hollywood Brown returning for another season in Kansas City, but so is JuJu Smith-Schuster. The veteran receiver has agreed to terms on a one-year deal and will now he headed back to Kansas City for his third season with the Chiefs.