Nick Wright expressed his disagreement with the Cincinnati Bengals' decision to retain both Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins this offseason. After missing out on the playoffs in the 2024 season due to a rocky start, the Bengals entered the offseason with several questions to answer.
Chase and Higgins' future was a big question mark until the front office decided to give them two four-year deals worth $161 million for Chase and $115 million for Higgins.
During Wednesday's edition of FOX Sports' "First Thing First," Wright strongly criticized the Bengals' front office for focusing solely on the offensive end of the ball.
"This a team that had these two guys together for almost a half decade," Wright said. "They haven't gotten it done, and the only times they've been close to getting it done or close-ish, those two years the defense was excellent.
"I just think it's a mistake from the front office," Wright added before explaining the Bengals should have retained Chase and try to get as much as possible for Higgins. "I have felt for two years that the pragmatic, prudent thing to do with the Cincinnati Bengals was to decide Chase or Higgins. It was pretty obvious to me Chase, and then get a real draft haul for Higgins."
The Cincinnati Bengals had an explosive offensive unit last season, ranking first in passing yards (4,918), third in completion percentage (70.6%) and fifth in total touchdowns (59). On the other end, their defense ranked 19th in passing yards allowed (4,016), 29th in passing touchdowns (30) and 28th in rushing touchdowns (20).
Keeping Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins together for at least four more years is positive for the AFC North franchise, but they needed to address more urgent issues before their wide receivers' needs.
