A new report claims that Cincinnati Bengals receiver Tee Higgins is as good as gone after this season.
At this point, it is pretty safe to say that the Bengals 2024 campaign has been a massive disappointment. Entering the year, the assumption was the team would not be any worse than the team that finished 9-8 last season. Star QB Joe Burrow was expected to be back healthy and that alone would make a big difference.
Related: Where do the Cincinnati Bengals land in our Week 12 NFL offense rankings?
Yet, they enter their BYE in Week 12 with a sad 4-7 record and no real reason to believe they will turn things around this season. Many can take the blame for their poor showing in 2024. But much of it will rest on the defense. The unit is giving up the 24th most yards (355.5) per game in the league, and fifth most points (26.9) in the NFL.
The offense hasn’t been in vintage form — especially with Tee Higgins playing in just six games. But they certainly have done enough to at least have two more wins. Especially over the last couple of weeks. However, the strength of their team is expected to take a serious hit this offseason when Higgins is a lock to leave in NFL free agency next spring. At least that is what rumors around the league have been for months.
- Tee Higgins stats (2024): 38 receptions, 489 receiving yards, 4 touchdowns, 12.9 yards per catch
NFL insider claims Tee Higgins is a lock to leave Cincinnati Bengals this offseason
“Tee Higgins is not going to be playing there next year. That is something I have been hearing since the combine and it has never changed,” Bleacher Report NFL insider James Palmer reported on Wednesday. “And we’ll see where they go from here but we’ve seen what type of offense this is with both those [star receivers] on the field. My understanding was the plan was [they’d] have Tee this year, make a Super Bowl run, and then they can’t afford everybody.”
- Tee Higgins contract: Free agent in 2025
Higgins’ potential exit has been a salary cap reckoning that has been on the horizon for some time. In 2025, the Cincinnati Bengals are already locked into paying just Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase $67 million. Considering their problems on defense, investing a huge sum of money into another receiver just doesn’t make team-building sense.
Related: Where does Joe Burrow land in our latest NFL QB rankings?