AFC Notes: Ronnie Stanley, Najee Harris, Bengals, Browns, Steelers

Bengals

• Cincinnati signed WR Ja’Marr Chase to a four-year, $161 million extension with $73.9 million guaranteed at signing including $41.17 million from a base salary, roster bonus and per-game roster bonuses in 2025. (Andy Nesbitt)
• Per Nesbitt, the deal also has $32.73 million guaranteed in 2026 from his base salary and another roster bonus.
• The roster bonuses and $28.9 million of his 2027 money become guaranteed in March 2026 while the remaining roster bonuses and another $7 million for 2028 become guaranteed in March 2027. (Nesbitt)
• The Bengals also signed WR Tee Higgins to a four-year, $115 million contract with $40.9 million guaranteed including a $20 million signing bonus. The deal has base salaries of $13.8 million, $10.9 million, $19.2 million and $27.3 million. (Over The Cap)
• Higgins also has a $20 million roster bonus due this March and a $10 million roster bonus due next March but his 2024 base salary is not yet guaranteed. (Nesbitt)
• Nesbitt adds The contract also has $2 million in per-game active roster bonuses annually, and the Bengals could get out of the deal after a year if someone pays him more than $10 million. 

Ravens

Ravens OT Ronnie Stanley was set to be one of the top tackles in free agency but returned to Baltimore on a team-friendly deal before hitting the market. Stanley talked about taking a discount to return to the team that drafted him because of their relationship over the last nine seasons.

“I knew I was going to give Baltimore the best bargain that I would offer to any other team,” Stanley said, via ESPN’s Jamison Hensley. “But that being said, I still wanted to be happy with what I’m making and make sure I’m getting the value that I feel like I deserve. I think it was a good balance that could help the team and something I’m still happy with.”

“I think it just goes back to the fact that they drafted me straight out of college [and] took a chance on me. So, I’m always going to give them first dibs when it comes to things like that, out of respect.”

Steelers

Former Steelers RB Najee Harris signed with the Chargers in free agency after spending four years with Pittsburgh. Harris discussed the lack of veteran leaders on the offensive side of the ball in Pittsburgh after they lost QB Ben Roethlisberger and veteran offensive linemen like C Maurkice Pouncey.

“It was just a team where we lost Ben. We lost a lot of O-line,” Harris said, via Chris Hayre. “We just didn’t know anything on offense, really. We didn’t have any identity. We had a young guy coming in at quarterback. I was young. The team was young. I really didn’t have nobody to almost learn from on the offensive side. I think the veteran guy on that team was like a two-, three-year vet. He’s still learning himself.”

“I’m coming in, and I’m just trying to look for people to pick their brain, and it was just defensive guys. I’d go to the defensive guys and talk to them, but there wouldn’t be too much they could tell me about an offensive thing.”