We can’t even call it a contract stalemate between star wide receiver Tee Higgins and his Cincinnati Bengals. A new report from Ben Baby of ESPN notes that these two sides have not talked about a contract extension for more than a calendar year.
That’s absolutely insane given today’s NFL landscape with wide receivers seemingly getting lucrative long-term contracts on a near-daily basis.
A second-round pick of the Bengals back in 2020, Higgins had the franchise tag placed on him earlier this offseason. At least initially, he requested a trade. While Higgins has since changed his stance to an extent, the former Clemson star joined fellow wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase in sitting out voluntary organized team activities (OTAs) earlier in the spring.
- Tee Higgins stats (2023): 42 receptions, 656 yards, 5 TD
Higgins, 25, did have a down 2023 season that saw him miss five games to injury. From 2020-22 with the Bengals, he averaged 72 receptions for 1,009 yards and six touchdowns. He’s set to earn $21.82 million under the franchise tag in 2024.
But the idea for Higgins and his camp has to be earning more in guaranteed money. Hence, why players are against being handed the franchise tag.
The situation is obviously complicated for Cincinnati. Joe Burrow is currently the highest-paid player in the NFL at $55 million annually.
Meanwhile, the aforementioned Chase is going to want to be among the highest-paid wide receivers in the game. That will come in at well north of $30 million per season.
Whether this forces the Bengals’ hands to trade Higgins remains to be seen. The fact that these two sides have not had contract talks in well over a year doesn’t bode well for a long-term marriage.