The Cincinnati Bengals got it right by doing the big contract extensions for Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, keeping Joe Burrow happy and the Super Bowl window open.
But the Bengals remaining stubbornly in their ways in the process is a red flag. So, too, is an overarching theme of the offseason that registers as very concerning:
The Bengals are paying more for roughly the same team as last year.
This trend started long before the Chase and Higgins contracts. They paid up to bring B.J. Hill, Joseph Ossai, Cody Ford and Mike Gesicki back.