Tee Higgins has outperformed his contract from the moment he arrived in the NFL and proved he belonged by recording 908 receiving yards and six touchdowns as a rookie. The 6-foot-4 Cincinnati Bengals receiver has been deserving of a big payday in the form of a contract extension for several seasons, but now that he’s set to become a free agent, Higgins is finally set to earn a massive paycheck.
Yet, the Bengals aren’t just letting their star 25-year-old receiver reach free agency. No, they’ve already placed the franchise tag on him, slotting Higgins in for $21.8 million in 2024.
But that’s not what Higgins wants. He’s looking for a long-term extension that allows more financial security over multiple seasons, and so far, he hasn’t found it in Cincinnati.
Yet, if the Bengals aren’t willing to pay Higgins whatever he’s asking for, there are several other WR-needy teams who would. But are the Bengals ready to negotiate? So far, there’s been no indication that they are. However, things change quickly in the NFL.
According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, it’s possible Higgins is available in the ‘make us an offer we can’t refuse’ type of way.
“The Cincinnati Bengals really do intend to keep Higgins, at least for 2024, with their whole focus being on winning a Super Bowl. But it’s not hard to see how this could turn into an A.J. Brown situation, where the team gets an offer close to the draft that it can’t refuse. So my guess would be eventually Higgins gets dealt.”
Albert Breer on Tee Higgins trade rumors
The A.J. Brown scenario is interesting. Like Higgins, Brown proved he was worthy of being one of the game’s highest-paid wideouts. Yet, the Tennessee Titans didn’t want to pay his asking price. Once the Philadelphia Eagles were on the clock with the 18th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, they shipped it to Tennessee in exchange for Brown and promptly made him one of the NFL’s highest-paid receivers. It’s safe to say they don’t have any regrets.
But the Titans may feel differently. They’ve since failed to develop Burks into a star receiver and have had to resort to paying DeAndre Hopkins and Calvin Ridley while watching Brown become a focal point of Philadelphia’s offense.
The Bengals likely want to prevent a similar situation from playing out here, but like everything, it always comes down to the price.
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