While there’s still uncertainty surrounding Tee Higgins‘ future in Cincinnati, the wideout is now locked in for the 2024 campaign. The wide receiver has signed his franchise tender, reports Kelsey Conway of Cincinnati.com.
With Higgins officially under contract for the 2024 campaign, the receiver is expected to be in attendance for the start of Bengals training camp. Higgins was a no-show at Bengals OTAs while his 2024 contract situation was unresolved, although he wasn’t subject to fines since he was unsigned. Higgins will now be tied to the $21.8MM WR franchise tag value for the 2024 season before hitting free agency (or potentially facing the same franchise-tag ordeal) next offseason.
While Higgins remains open to signing a long-term deal with the Bengals (per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport), an extension is still considered a “longshot” (per ESPN’s Adam Schefter). The last we heard, the Bengals did not approach $20MM per year when they last negotiated with Higgins’ camp. The two sides haven’t resumed negotiations since they ended more than a year ago. The Bengals and Higgins have until July 15 to agree to an extension, although the organization’s history suggests there probably won’t be an agreement.
In the meantime, the likes of Justin Jefferson, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and A.J. Brown have reset the receiver market to plus-$30MM annually. Higgins is rightfully pushing to be among the highest-paid at his position, but with the Bengals navigating Joe Burrow‘s pricey contract and Ja’Marr Chase‘s upcoming extension, the team doesn’t have the financial wiggle room to retain Higgins long-term. We heard the Bengals were likely going to treat Higgins as a “rental” for the 2024 campaign, with the understanding that the two sides would part ways following the season.
Still, both Higgins and the Bengals can be relieved that they’re temporarily avoiding the drama. The issues started back in March. After being eligible for an extension for more than a year, Higgins requested a trade. While he never really talked back the impending divorce, he eventually acknowledged that he’d probably stick around Cincinnati for the 2024 season…a potential hint that he’d eventually blink and sign the franchise tender.
While Higgins hasn’t matched the same top-end production as Chase, he’s still put up big numbers as the Bengals’ number-two option. The former second-round pick averaged more than 1,000 yards per season through his first three years in the NFL. Thanks in part to Burrow’s injury and a hamstring injury that limited Higgins to only 12 games, the wideout finished the 2023 campaign with career-lows in receptions (42), receiving yards (656), and touchdowns (five). He’ll be looking for a rebound season in 2024 before hitting free agency next offseason.
“Rightfully” ? Bull. He’s not amongst the top WR’s first of all. And what right does he have? The team is obeying the rules of the agreement the players union agreed too. They tagged him, as is there right. He will be paid. He will then have the option to be a FA next year if the team chooses to not tag him again. Which is unlikely.
The author is either an idiot, or needs to choose his words more carefully.
Meanwhile , you misused the word there , should have been their … but there there now all will be ok.
Why would the union agreeing to a CBA with the franchise tag in it mean he doesn’t have a right to push for a new contract?
I never considered Higgins a top 10 receiver. He’s good #2 in the right system (which he is in with Cincinnati). With that being said he’s not in line for $25 – $30 million per year that the top receivers are getting.
Plus Cincinnati will be hamstrung once they have to pay Chase. Having a QB and WR combine for $85mm AAV on your cap is going to hurt the team.
Couldn’t agree more. With a now clear trend of QBs and WRs wanting just more and more, I think this is where the NFL and their fame in the sports world could eventually collapse. That or you get rid of the salary cap completely and then the NFL would I believe collapse. Are you concerned about this trend as well?
There were baseball owners who said this the first time a player got $10,000. It’ll be OK.
Aj brown 32m ….devonte smith 25m….hurts 51m…mailata record deal dickerson record deal at guard etc…..it can be done if your owner isnt cheap
Look how good Houshmandzadah looked when he was a number 2 playing across from Chad Johnson. Didn’t fare to well as a number 1 in Seattle. Three teams in 3 years and faded into obscurity.
Higgins is a great number two but where else in the league currently could he go about become an instant #1 and get paid at the same time? Only team I could MAYBE mention is Packers. They don’t have a real WR1
Your right ATL its not the best time to try to find a WR1 role for Tee. I think after this season, before the 2025 draft Tee is going to get picked up by a team in need of a WR1.
This season I think NE could use Tee as WR1. I also think Tee would be the best WR in Baltimore if he was a Raven. (I really like Flowers but Tee is better right now imo).
Not to many teams want to pay a guy $30 million a year when you can just draft a guy and pay him $30 million over 4 years.
I’d say Higgins is a top 32 receiver, regardless of whether you want him to be your top option or not. Waddle and Smith are making much more than he is, and they’re both #2s.
My comment from above still stands. Houshmandzada looked great as a number 2 across from Chad. When he was the number 1 in Seattle and there was nobody to draw attention from him he flopped and was on 3 teams in 3 years. If Higgins doesn’t have Chase to draw attention I personally don’t believe he’ll thrive. Some receivers don’t understand they’re not THE guy and don’t to be just one of the guys. He’ll end up going to Carolina or Arizona and fade into the woodwork much like he does when Chase isn’t there to draw a double team.
That might carry more water if Higgins hadn’t been almost as productive as a 21-year old rookie the year before Chase got there.
You also forgot about AJ Green and Tyler Boyd. Same difference AJ was the number 1 and Higgins number 2. AJ was always 1 when he was on the field.
Green was 32, coming off a missed year, and very clearly on the decline. Higgins had more targets, receptions, and touchdowns as a rookie than Green did that year. And besides, top 32 receivers still get paid even if they happen to be on the same team as an even better receiver. Look at Waddle and Smith this offseason or Godwin or Mike Williams in the past.
By the way, Houshmandzadeh was perfectly fine in Seattle. He was 32 by the time he played for a second team, which explains his decline a lot more than not playing with Chad Ochocinco.
If he was fine why did they drop him after a year? AJ was still the big dog in Cincinnati, no doubt about it. Why did he have these targets and TD’s? Because teams were focusing on Green, same as they do now with Chase. I don’t believe he’s going to get 1st receiver money,and if he does he won’t play like it, unless he’s playing beside a Justin Jefferson or Tyreek Hill type.
To the Houshmandzadeh point: He was about to turn 33 and had lost a couple of steps to age, and the Seahawks had a new coach and GM. They drafted Golden Tate and cutting Houshmandzadeh made room to bring in Carroll’s old college star Mike Williams.
As for Higgins, it’s not like I think he’s a top ten receiver, but do you think he’s not top 30? I’d say he is. Which I think means he’ll get back of the top ten money because it’s his turn to get paid, then get pushed out of the top ten very soon—which also describes the recent Michael Pittman signing. Higgins is young, he’s been very productive, and he has a true X receiver perimeter profile that can be hard to find. Whatever you think constitutes a true number one receiver, he would be the best receiver on at least 8-10 teams right now.
Pats
Why not wait until the last minute to sign? He’s done in Cincy after this year. They won’t even discuss $20m & the price will only go up
Tee signed because he knew the Bengals could have rescinded the tag if things got chippy before July 15 and 21 million is a lot to risk…a bird in the hand is better than two in the bush
I wonder if I’m the only one whose antenna is detecting there is probably more going on with the Bengals/Higgins relationship than is being made public. I guess we will have to wait until the divorce is final to get the real dope.
What a Relief !!
Now that TEE has put pen to paper,
the Bengals can focus on contracts for:
YOU
VEE
YOUYOU (Double “U”)
XXX
WHY
and
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
I think it might be time to change your user name again 🙂
Brown 32m, smith 25m, hurts 51m per year….hust signed dickerson highest paid guard 4 yr 87m signed mailata to a 3 yr 66m and huff 3 yr 52m…going to eat over 20m in dead cap this year alone and Eagles still have money under the cap …if your owner isnt cheap and your Gm i the best in football it can be done