The Cincinnati Bengals “are trying to budget for” wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase and “want to prioritize him” amid the lingering uncertainty over Tee Higgins’ long-term future, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

Fowler said Sunday on SportsCenter the Bengals want to keep Chase alongside quarterback Joe Burrow for the long haul. As a result, Cincinnati would effectively choose him over fellow wideout Higgins.

There might have been a point in the past when the Bengals could’ve afforded to pay both Chase and Higgins at their market rates while Burrow simultaneously earns the highest average salary in the NFL. That simply isn’t feasible anymore thanks to the soaring cost for proven receivers.

Spotrac pegs the value of Chase and Higgins at $30.5 million and $19.7 million respectively, and neither figure probably fully reflects what they’d earn on new contracts.

If you’re forced to choose between the two, then Chase is the superior option. Through three seasons, he has 3,717 receiving yards and 29 touchdowns. His 82.6 yards per game are the fourth-most in NFL history, to provide further context behind his production.

At $35 million annually, the Minnesota Vikings’ Justin Jefferson is the highest-paid wideout, and Chase could feasibly surpass that figure once he signs a multiyear extension.

The way in which the Bengals have handled Higgins’ negotiations makes their preference clear. Fowler reported that “talks as of late are all but nonexistent,” which is a common theme.

That’s not really the way a team handles a player it envisions keeping around.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Saturday that Higgins signed his one-year franchise tender, which guarantees him $21.8 million for the 2024 season. Beyond that, Cincinnati appears content to let him leave and watch another team pay him the kind of contract he’s ultimately seeking.