The Cincinnati Bengals have been having a lot of fun as of late. Cody Ford broke NFL history as the heaviest player to ever go for 20+ yards from scrimmage, and the offense has been cooking the last two weeks.
Coming out of a dominant 37-14 win over the Arizona Cardinals, the Bengals are looking to make sure the team is set for years to come. While Joe Burrow, Tee Higgins, and Ja'Marr Chase are locked up for a while, a different player should be signed long-term.
Ben Baby of ESPN is calling on the Bengals to sign Chase Brown, the team's standout running back, to a long-term extension as soon as possible.
Bengals urged to extend RB Chase Brown ASAP
"Should the Bengals extend running back Chase Brown early?" Baby writes. "That might be a good idea since his value will only continue to increase in the future."
Brown is in the middle of a great season, and in week 17, he ran for 101 yards, two touchdowns, and caught three passes for 40 yards.
He's been one of the best players in the NFL over the last two weeks, running for 66 yards and a touchdown, along with catching four passes for 43 yards and two touchdowns in Week 16 against the Miami Dolphins.
This is a player the Bengals should look to keep around long-term, especially with how great he's looked this season in his third season with the Bengals.
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He has 947 rushing yards and six touchdowns on the ground, and he's caught 65 of his 82 targets for 419 yards and four touchdowns this season.
He's a rare dual-threat running back that's more than just a check-down or dump-off option in the offense.
Brown is an extension candidate, and Baby is urging the Bengals to get a deal done as soon as possible, since his contract will only increase if they wait until after 2026 to try and get a deal done.
After the 2025 season, Brown is finally eligible for an extension. Getting that deal done as soon as possible makes sense for the Bengals, and could be a nice reward for Brown coming off a strong 2025 season.
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