With Higgins expected to be a free agent this offseason (barring another franchise tag), there is uncertainty as to whether Higgins, Burrow and Chase will all return to lead the team in 2025.

Although it was assumed that Higgins would leave in free agency, the goal now is to stay together, which explains some of the quotes that have come out of the building recently. Chase has one year left on his rookie contract in 2025 and the team and Chase tried to get him to a long-term deal so he could stay in Cincinnati before the season.

For Higgins, his offseason last year included a trade request and ultimately a franchise tag. The two sides were never able to agree on a long-term deal. Thanks in part to Brandon Aiyuk’s four-year, $120 million contract with the 49ers just before the season, it’s a good time for a player like Higgins to be a free agent. Of course, Cincy will have to do better to keep him.

While Chase has cemented his place among the NFL’s best receivers, Higgins has more than done his part, coming five catches shy of a career-high in Saturday’s game while also delivering in the final stretch. His back-to-back catches last week led to a huge win over the Broncos and kept him in the postseason race.

“I’ve developed a love for this city for sure,” Higgins told reporters recently, “and I’ve developed a love for this team and these coaches, so yeah, I’m not ruling that out.”