The high-powered Cincinnati Bengals offense may only have one more season together before they have to balance their payroll books and break it up next Spring.
After two games the Cincinnati Bengals’ offense has not looked like itself, and that is surely due to the fact that quarterback Joe Burrow sat out most of the Summer with a calf injury. This slump is not expected to last and the team that is near the top of our current NFL offense rankings is sure to recapture its form from the 2022 season.
The Bengals are a Super Bowl contender again this season due to the elite talents of Burrow, running back Joe Mixon, and the dynamic receiver duo of Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. However, that success is setting up a financial reckoning for the organization.
After making Burrow one of the highest-paid players in sports earlier this month, it is going to become increasingly harder to retain both Chase and Higgins. The latter is set to become a free agent after this season, and the former probably will try and use their leverage to land a long-term deal next year. While the organization has had preliminary contract discussions with both, new deals do not seem close.
Tee Higgins could be tagged and traded by Cincinnati Bengals next year
That is why ESPN’s Cincinnati Bengals reporter Ben Baby believes the organization could kick their salary cap reckoning another year down the road or look to get a return for Higgins in the offseason.
“Higgins did not receive a long-term deal this offseason, and one seems to be unlikely,” Baby wrote on Tuesday. “Cincinnati could be looking at giving Higgins a one-year franchise tag for 2024 and exploring its options. The tag is projected at $23 million according to overthecap.com. The Bengals could pay that amount to keep Higgins for one more year or see if they can find a team willing to trade for a top receiver.”
- Tee Higgins stats (2022): 74 catches, 1,029 yards, 7 touchdowns
Despite being the WR2 on the Bengals, Higgins has been very productive for the team and earned back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons over the last two years. The interest in a Tee Higgins trade market would be very strong if it opened early next year. He is set to make just under $3 million this season.