Tee Higgins

Contract Details For Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins

March 23rd, 2025 at 11:04pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Tee Higgins parted ways with his agent towards the end of his contract year in 2024, raising eyebrows around the NFL.

Those eyebrows went even higher after Higgins signed with the same representation as fellow Bengals wideout Ja’Marr Chase. Four months later, Higgins and Chase both signed lucrative contracts to stay together with Joe Burrow in Cincinnati for the long-term.

“It was something that came together pretty quickly,” said FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz, who first broke news of the dual extensions. “The plan was always to get both done together.”

The Bengals were unable to reach a long-term agreement with Higgins last offseason, resulting in a franchise tag for the 2024 season. Over the last year, the team was also engaged in negotiations with Chase to make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL. Once both players were represented by the same agency, it became clear that they were a package deal.

“It wasn’t one or the other,” explained Schultz. That gave the two receivers plenty of leverage to force concessions from Cincinnati, who ultimately obliged with a stronger guarantee structure than their previous non-quarterback contracts.

“The Bengals broke a lot of precedent,” Schultz continued. “It’s not something they’ve ever done other than Joe Burrow.”

Higgins still didn’t receive a WR1 salary, but he was willing to take less money than he would’ve earned on the open market to stay in Cincinnati. “He wanted to be a Bengal,” said Schultz. “Tee Higgins wanted to run it back with Ja’Marr Chase and Joe Burrow.”

Chase was entering 2025 on his fifth-year option, so his four-year, $161MM extension will keep him in Cincinnati through 2029. The total guaranteed money is $109.8MM, per Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, with $73.8MM guaranteed at signing.

The deal contains a $22MM signing bonus and a $10MM roster bonus, as well as $1MM in per-game roster bonuses and $100k in workout bonuses in each year of the deal that are fully-guaranteed in 2025. Combined with his fully-guaranteed 2025 salary of $8.07MM, Chase’s first-year cash flow can reach $41.17MM. His $17.73MM salary and $15MM option bonus in 2026 are also fully-guaranteed, with void years in 2030 and 2031 to prorate those bonuses.

If Chase is on the roster on the fifth day of the 2026 league year, his per-game and workout bonuses for 2026 and 2027 will become fully-guaranteed, along with his $23.9MM salary and $5MM roster bonus in 2027. If he is on the roster on the fifth day of the 2027 league year, $7MM of his $31.8MM 2028 salary will become fully-guaranteed. The contract also contains a $250k incentive in each year that can be earned if Chase plays 65% of the Bengals’ offensive snaps and the team wins the Super Bowl.

Higgins was set to earn $26.2MM in 2025 after being tagged for the second season in a row. His new contract is worth $115MM over four years for a $28.75MM APY that ranks ninth at his position. The only fully-guaranteed money at signing is a $10MM roster bonus in 2026, per Florio, though a $20MM roster bonus in 2025 was due five days after signing, making it practically guaranteed. The deal also contains $2MM in per-game roster bonuses and $100k in workout bonuses in each year.

Higgins is due a $13.8MM salary in 2025, bringing his first-year cash flow to $35.9MM. His 2026 salary of $10.9MM becomes fully-guaranteed on the fifth day of the 2026 league year, but the remainder of his compensation is not guaranteed. That includes a base salary of $19.2MM and a roster bonus of $5MM in 2027 and a base salary of $27.3MM in 2026.

The contract also includes incentives for playing time and postseason success. If Higgins plays 65% of the Bengals’ offensive snaps and the team makes the Super Bowl, he will earn $1MM. If he reaches the same playing time and the Bengals win the Super Bowl, he will earn $1.7MM.

Bengals Reach Extensions With WRs Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins

March 16th, 2025 at 9:56pm CST by Ely Allen

It appears the Bengals have made good on recent rumblings as Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports reports that Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins exclusively informed him that they’ve agreed to contract extensions to stay with their team.

Schultz reports that Chase will receive a four-year, $161MM extension with $112MM guaranteed, while Higgins’ deal is for four years and $115MM. The first two years of Higgins’ contract — an undisclosed amount, at the moment — will be guaranteed, as well. The early predictions of the two’s contracts combining to eclipse $70MM per year is not quite accurate, as they appear to combine to equal $69MM per year.

Chase’s deal surpasses that of Browns defensive end Myles Garrett, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history. Higgins’ contract reportedly makes him the highest-paid WR2 in NFL history, surpassing Miami’s Jaylen Waddle. While Higgins would move up two spots from the 10th-highest paid receiver in the league to the eighth-highest, Chase’s catapult up to the top of the list moves him back down to the ninth-highest paid receiver in the NFL. Only the Dolphins (Tyreek Hill & Waddle) match them with two in the top 10, and the Commanders (Deebo Samuel & Terry McLaurin) and the Buccaneers (Chris Godwin & Mike Evans) join with two in the top 20.

We saw major progress as this week started with Chase and Cincinnati far apart on extension terms before producing “significant progress” two days ago. Chase had turned down a Bengals offer this year, but after the team was unable to extend him before the 2024 season, the market shifted quite a bit. After the Raiders eclipsed Justin Jefferson‘s previous non-QB AAV mark by paying Maxx Crosby $35.5MM per year, the Browns gave Myles Garrett a whopping $40MM per annum to back off his trade request. By getting these signings of Chase and Higgins done, the Bengals avoid the price driving up even more, as T.J. Watt, Micah Parsons, and Aidan Hutchinson could all adjust that number again this offseason.

Once the exact numbers and structure come through, we should become aware of just how much the Bengals’ cap situation has improved — and it should be a significant improvement. Cincinnati was sitting at just over $26MM in cap space before these two deals transpired. Higgins’ $26.2MM franchise tag cap hit should disappear, as should Chase’s $21.8MM fifth-year option cap hit; both will be replaced with new, much lower cap numbers that will rise in the later years of their new contracts.

By securing Chase and Higgins for another four years, Cincinnati has locked down a receiving duo that has combined for 658 catches for 9,112 yards and 74 touchdowns over the past four years. During the time the two have played together, they have combined to account for 44 percent of quarterback Joe Burrow‘s completions, 56 percent of Burrow’s yardage, and 58 percent of his touchdowns. With Burrow locked in through the 2029 season, as well, the potent Bengals offense doesn’t appear to be going anywhere.

And Cincinnati better hope that their prolific offense continues to produce. A big reason why the Bengals failed to make the postseason in 2024, despite Burrow leading the league in completions, passing yards, and passing touchdowns and Chase winning the receiving Triple Crown, was a defense that ranked 26th is points per game and 25th in yards per game.

While Chase and Higgins are celebrating their new extensions, star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson continues to reside in limbo waiting for any developments on his extension or trade potential. Cincinnati reportedly wants at least a first-round pick for the 30-year-old pass rusher and perhaps more, though rival execs view that ask as “ridiculous.”

Hendrickson’s issues with his contract situation date back to a trade request a year ago, similar to Higgins. Higgins made the savvy move of dropping his representation and pairing up under Chase’s agency, making it clear that a Chase deal was not possible without a Higgins deal, as well. Hendrickson, on the other hand, seems to have been left in the cold here, as the extensions reported today will make it extremely difficult for Cincinnati to give a long-term pact to him, as well.

Regardless, Bengals fans can let out a long sigh of relief knowing that Chase, Higgins, and Burrow will be around to continue putting up record offensive numbers in the years to come. Whether dedicating $124MM per year to three offensive players will ultimately handicap a team desperately needing to improve on defense is to be determined. For now, though, Cincinnati can take pride in being sure it’s done what it can to make its stars happy.

Bengals Progressing On Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins Extensions

March 14th, 2025 at 11:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

No longer appearing likely to extend Ja’Marr Chase and split with Tee Higgins, the Bengals have seen their updated plan — one featuring a hopeful long-term Higgins future in Cincinnati — produce notable progress.

After a report earlier this week indicated Higgins and the Bengals were still far apart, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports the team has made “significant progress” on extensions for both Chase and Higgins. As Trey Hendrickson resides in limbo because of the team’s renewed Higgins interest, Cincy could have deals done with its longtime WR pair soon.

Nothing is developing on the Hendrickson trade front, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, who adds no contract adjustment appears imminent, either. This may be the cost of doing business for the Bengals, who have set a clear hierarchy that places Higgins above Hendrickson in the contract queue. Hendrickson has been given permission to seek a trade, giving Cincinnati a major hole to fill if a deal comes together.

Meanwhile, however, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini adds the Chase and Higgins contracts should combine to reach or surpass $70MM per year. This seemed like a scenario the Bengals wanted to avoid as recently as January, when Duke Tobin said a Higgins extension would have to come at the “right number.” But Cincy re-tagged Higgins, as Joe Burrow ramped up pressure on the organization to keep the duo together. The Bengals will need to pay their duo more than the Dolphins and Eagles did their impact tandems.

It is worth wondering if this would be the best way for the Bengals to invest, especially considering just about everything had pointed to the team moving on from Higgins in 2025. The Bengals have a history with a quarterback growing frustrated with its lack of aggressiveness, however, as a Carson Palmer–Mike Brown dustup ended with the former franchise QB traded in 2011. Tobin was with the Bengals at that point. The team now appears close to keeping Burrow’s troops together, likely at the cost of keeping Hendrickson.

Chase turned down a Bengals offer this year, but after the team was unable to extend him before the 2024 season, the market has shifted. Tobin said he expected Chase to be the NFL’s highest-paid non-quarterback, after his triple-crown season upped his value. But another position’s market has affected this aim. After the Raiders eclipsed Justin Jefferson‘s previous non-QB AAV mark by paying Maxx Crosby $35.5MM per year, the Browns gave Myles Garrett a whopping $40MM per annum to back off his trade request. The Bengals are in the crosshairs here, as T.J. Watt, Micah Parsons and Aidan Hutchinson could change that number again this offseason. Acting early would be in Cincy’s best interests now, though that has not exactly been a strength as of late for the team.

Garrett getting to where he did has already changed things for the Bengals, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports the leaguewide expectation is a deal that checks in between $40.1MM and $41MM per year. Chase would not have commanded this in 2024, but the Brown had said by training camp the Bengals were unlikely to pay their WR1 before last season. Although Chase’s hold-in applied pressure that did lead to negotiations, nothing commenced. Now recommitted to extending Higgins, the Bengals are set to authorize a monster Chase extension that will change their roster blueprint.

The Bengals sit at barely $26MM in cap space; that number would increase once the wideouts are paid. Higgins is on a $26.2MM tag number, while Chase is tied to a $21.8MM fifth-year option. This could open the door to the Bengals keeping Hendrickson, but with the 30-year-old sack kingpin in a contract year and pursuing an extension, Cincinnati attempting to keep Hendrickson without extending him would not go over well with a player coming off back-to-back 17.5-sack seasons.

The receivers are the priority, however, and Higgins can expect to score a deal north of $30MM per year. D.K. Metcalf having just agreed toa a $33MM-per-year Seahawks payday could pertain to Higgins, and the Bengals are almost definitely going to need to deviate from their policy of not guaranteeing future years to non-quarterbacks in order to move the Chase and Higgins contracts past the finish line. But the extension sagas involving Cincinnati’s receivers look to finally be nearing an end.

Bengals Seeking More Than First-Round Pick For Trey Hendrickson; Latest On Tee Higgins

March 14th, 2025 at 12:24am CST by Sam Robinson

Trey Hendrickson remains with the Bengals, but another record-setting contract — for Myles Garrett — has affected the edge rusher market. With T.J. Watt and Micah Parsons in contract years, the cost of deploying an elite player on the edge is rising. That will interfere with the Bengals’ Hendrickson situation.

While not an open-and-shut candidate to land a deal close to where Garrett went, Hendrickson is the reigning NFL sack leader who is in a contract year. As the Bengals have let Hendrickson shop for a trade, they have made it clear Tee Higgins will be their preferred extension recipient behind Ja’Marr Chase. Nothing has transpired on the Higgins front, and the Bengals have set a high price on Hendrickson.

Cincinnati wants at least a first-round pick for the 30-year-old pass rusher, with NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe reporting the AFC North franchise wants more than that. In speaking with a GM about the Bengals’ Hendrickson price, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini indicates that exec views it as “ridiculous.”

Teams are prepared to pay Hendrickson the new going rate on the edge, Russini adds, but Cincinnati’s asking price in trades has complicated this market. As it stands, Hendrickson is tied to his one-year, $21MM add-on agreed to in 2023. He is due a $15.8MM salary next season. For now, the Bengals can accommodate that, but it will be interesting to see where this goes. The Bengals are not one to give into player demands, as they shut down Hendrickson, Higgins and Jonah Williams trade requests over the past two years.

Hendrickson’s Bengals situation differs from his 2024 issue, as the team — which has shown more interest in a Higgins extension that it did last year — has let Hendrickson shop. But teams are waiting to see if the Bengals will drop their asking price, Wolfe adds. Cincy will carry a major need at edge rusher if it does move on from Hendrickson, as longtime starter Sam Hubbard retired. The team did re-sign Joseph Ossai on a one-year, $7MM deal and the Cincinnati Enquirer’s Kelsey Conway adds a pursuit of four-year Giants EDGE Azeez Ojulari commenced before the Ossai deal. Though, Conway classifies the Bengals’ Ojulari interest as preliminary. Ojulari remains in free agency.

In confirming the Bengals want at least a first-rounder for Hendrickson, ESPN.com’s Stephen Holder offers that it is highly unlikely the Colts reunite him with DC Lou Anarumo. The Colts did let Dayo Odeyingbo walk (to the Bears) but still have Kwity Paye, Laiatu Latu and Samson Ebukam rostered. They also have a big-ticket DeForest Buckner extension and an eight-figure-per-year Grover Stewart contract on their books. The Colts also deviated from their Chris Ballard-era free agency blueprint by giving big-money deals to DBs Camryn Bynum and Charvarius Ward this week.

Higgins is “not happy” with being re-tagged, Wolfe adds, indicating talks with the Bengals on an extension have not progressed. This continues a refrain for Higgins. Although he has expressed interest in staying with Chase and Joe Burrow, he views himself as a WR1. The market appears to as well, as $30MM-per-year prices were thrown around when Higgins was viewed as a potential free agent target. The Bengals have set a “crazy” asking price on a Higgins trade, per Wolfe, and teams have called about a player that was once viewed as likely to leave Cincinnati in 2025.

With a Burrow-driven push seemingly changing the Bengals’ Higgins view, he remains on the team’s extension radar. As Hendrickson keeps looking around — after the Falcons and Commanders showed early interest — the Bengals will need to ramp up their efforts on a Higgins extension soon. Even though the Bengals have until July 15 to extend Higgins, the team exited the 2024 season having not seriously negotiated with its high-end WR2 since the first half of 2023. A show of good faith would stand to help that relationship, as Higgins has now been denied two free agency trips.

A new deal would drop Higgins’ 2025 cap number (currently at $26.2MM), while a Chase contract would reduce his $21.82MM figure. New contracts for the wideouts could allow the Bengals to keep Hendrickson in a contract year, but that obviously would not go over well with a player who wants to be extended — after back-to-back 17.5-sack seasons — before age diminishes his value.

Bengals Receiving Calls On Tee Higgins

March 6th, 2025 at 7:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

In a rather complex position as the 2024 league year winds down, the Bengals appear to have established their priority regarding their extension candidates. Tee Higgins, who had previously been expected to depart in 2025, has taken the spot behind Ja’Marr Chase. Trey Hendrickson is now talking to other teams about a trade.

But it would not be an NFL trade window if Higgins wasn’t generating trade calls. The re-tagged wide receiver is indeed drawing more trade interest, with The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reporting multiple teams have reached out to the Bengals. Evidently seeing if the Bengals would be open to resolving their Chase-Higgins-Hendrickson quagmire by trading the older of their two receiver standouts, teams continue to monitor the player who may well have outflanked Sam Darnold on our latest free agent top 50. Again, however, Higgins will not see the market.

As this refrain goes, Cincy is not budging. The Bengals are informing teams Higgins is unavailable, Russini adds. Even after the five-year veteran missed five games for a second straight season, the Bengals remain committed to working out a deal. Higgins no longer appears a high-end rental.

Higgins trade talk began at the 2023 Combine, when Duke Tobin‘s “go find your own” comment set the trend here. The Bengals then rebuffed trade interest at the 2023 trade deadline, franchise-tagged the former second-rounder in 2024 and again brushed aside Higgins trade interest at the 2024 deadline. A second tag has since come out, as the Bengals were one of only two teams to use a tag this year. As Courtland Sutton appears to have vacated his spot as an oft-rumored trade chip, Higgins stands front and center as teams attempt to determine the Bengals’ path.

It is understandable that teams would call, seeing as everything was pointing to a Higgins 2025 exit — either via free agency or a tag-and-trade transaction. As Joe Burrow has continually stumped for the organization to retain his WR2, it appears the Bengals have gotten the message. After Tobin said he wanted Higgins back at the “right number,” earlier this offseason, Burrow’s media tour continued. While Hendrickson may be the odd man out, the Bengals are moving toward following the Eagles and Dolphins’ lead in having two high-priced receivers and a franchise quarterback on the books.

Not big on restructures or void years, the Bengals do hold $51.7MM in cap space. Some of that will need to be allocated to receiver deals, though backloading them would allow the team room to make shorter-term augmentations in free agency. Chase and the Bengals are not believed to be close on terms, as the superstar’s fifth-year option season looms. Chase is tied to a $21.8MM option number, while Higgins’ second tag is worth $26.2MM. Extensions would reduce those 2025 figures.

Higgins has been tied to a $30MM-per-year asking price, as he likely would have commanded it on the open market. Going into his age-26 season, Higgins has been fine staying in Cincinnati. Will this be the offseason his payday finally comes?

Bengals Place Franchise Tag On Tee Higgins

March 3rd, 2025 at 11:15pm CST by Adam La Rose

As expected, Tee Higgins will not reach the market in 2025. The Bengals wideout announced on Monday he has been informed of the team’s decision to use the franchise tag on him for the second year in a row.

After Higgins was tagged last offseason, he wound up being the only player who did not eventually work out a long-term pact with his team. That created the expectation of a free agent departure in 2025, where the 26-year-old would have been by far the most sought-after receiver on the market. For the past two weeks, though, signs have pointed to the tag being used once again to prevent that scenario.

When applied the second time around, franchise tags cost 20% more than the previous year’s price. As such, tagging Higgins in 2025 will cost the Bengals $26.16MM. That figure will immediately come onto the team’s books, and the former second-rounder will earn that amount (which is guaranteed in full) if he signs the tag and plays on it next season.

Of course, the tag can be (and often is) used strictly as a placeholder to ensure additional time to negotiate a long-term deal. That was the goal in this situation last time around, but team and player did not come particularly close to an agreement. The sides will have until July 15 to hammer out a contract and avoid another season with Higgins’ future in doubt.

Higgins has worked as a highly effective complement to Ja’Marr Chase, who himself was unable to work out a Bengals extension last summer. The latter is in line to become the league’s highest earner for non-quarterbacks, something the Bengals stated their willingness to authorize at the Combine. In spite of that, the team’s latest offer has reportedly left the sides far apart in contract talks. Chase – who won the NFL’s ‘Triple Crown’ in 2024 – represents an obvious priority on a monster deal but Cincinnati also aims to keep Higgins in place for years to come.

Quarterback Joe Burrow has gone public with his desire to see each of Chase, Higgins and 2024 sack leader Trey Hendrickson retained for 2025 and beyond. Burrow is prepared to restructure his deal to help free up cap space in the immediate future, although Cincinnati has made a number of cost-shedding moves recently as well. Prior to today’s news, the team had roughly $69MM in cap space, but a large portion of that will now be committed to Higgins.

The Clemson product has topped 900 receiving yards four times in his five-year career. Having missed five games in each of the past two campaigns, injuries represent a factor to be considered by the Bengals, but Higgins was connected to a annual average value of $30MM or more in the event he hit the open market. Several suitors (regardless of if the Patriots would have been one of them) were in line to make significant offers. Now, only a tag-and-trade would allow for Higgins to play elsewhere next year.

The 2025 free agent class is short on impact receivers near Higgins’ age, and this year’s draft is not viewed in the same light as previous ones with respect to first-round prospects. Those factors will make the trade market something to watch closely at the position as teams look to make at least modest additions to their pass-catching corps. Deebo Samuel is headed to Washington, but Cooper Kupp is among the veterans set to be on the move soon.

The Chiefs have used the franchise tag to keep guard Trey Smith off the market. He and Higgins were set to among the best free agents (regardless of position) available at the start of the new league year next week. Sam Darnold remains the top option, although the Vikings could keep their 2024 starting quarterback in place by using the tag. A decision on that front will need to be made by tomorrow afternoon. In any case, the most attractive option at the skill positions will not test free agency.

Patriots Targeting Ronnie Stanley, Jamien Sherwood; Team Has “Kicked Tires” On D.K. Metcalf

March 2nd, 2025 at 8:47am CST by Rory Parks

The Patriots are known to be targeting additions to the offensive and defensive lines this offseason, and new head coach Mike Vrabel has indicated his club will be active in free agency (after all, New England does have nearly $130MM in cap space, the most in the league by a comfortable margin). To that end, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com reports the Pats will aggressively pursue Ravens left tackle Ronnie Stanley should Stanley hit the open market.

Andrew Callahan and Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald also hear that Stanley is one of New England’s top targets. Offensive line play was a major issue for the team in 2024, as the Pats finished 31st in Pro Football Focus’ metrics with respect to pass protection and last in run blocking. Stanley had struggled with injuries in recent years, and even when he was on the field, he did not look like the same player that earned a First Team All-Pro nod in 2019. After being forced to accept a $7.5MM pay cut in advance of the 2024 season, Stanley turned in a terrific platform campaign, landing his second Pro Bowl bid and playing a full complement of games for the first time in his career.

Naturally, the Ravens want Stanley back and have prioritized a new contract for him. However, the franchise tag is not considered as an option because of how it would hinder a team that is just outside the bottom-10 in cap room and because the $23.4MM tag number for O-linemen would set the floor in negotiations above where Baltimore is willing to go. New England reportedly values Stanley’s leadership and experience in big games in addition to his raw ability, and if Stanley and the Ravens cannot come to terms before the onset of free agency, Vrabel & Co. appear ready to pounce.

If their Stanley pursuit is unsuccessful, Callahan and Kyed say the Patriots are nonetheless comfortable with the Steelers’ Dan Moore or the Vikings’ Cam Robinson – a New England trade target at the 2024 deadline – as fallback plans (the team also had interest in the Rams’ Alaric Jackson before he re-upped with Los Angeles). And, even if they are able to acquire an established OT, the Pats will presumably not be done in their search for better protection for QB Drake Maye and their rushing attack

LSU OT Will Campbell is a real possibility for the Patriots’ No. 4 overall selection in April’s draft, with league evaluators seeing Campbell or Michigan DT Mason Graham as the most likely candidates for the pick. If QB-needy teams select both Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders before New England is on the clock, though, the Pats will have the opportunity to take one of the top non-QBs in the 2025 class (Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter or Colorado cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter).

Of that duo, Hunter is viewed as the more likely to fall to No. 4. As opposed to Carter, Hunter would not address the Pats’ top goal of bolstering their trenches, but beyond OL and DL help, the Boston Herald sees cornerback, wide receiver, and linebacker as the next positions of priority. Regardless of whether New England sees Hunter as a CB or wideout, the two-way blue-chipper would be a major get.

With respect to the linebacker need, the Patriots reportedly “covet” Jets LB Jamien Sherwood, particularly since he exhibits the speed and physicality that Vrabel is hoping to inject into his front seven. The 2021 fifth-rounder was mostly quiet through his first three professional seasons before bursting onto the scene in a big way in his walk year, starting 16 of New York’s 17 games while tallying 158 total tackles – including a league-leading 98 solo stops – and 10 tackles for loss while finishing as PFF’s 18th-best LB. The Jets and Sherwood have mutual interest in an extension, though it appears the Pats are eyeing the situation closely.

As for the WR position, there were several reports connecting the Patriots to Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins this offseason. Those reports were published before it became clear Cincinnati was prepared to put the franchise tag on Higgins for a second time. While a tag presumably remains a possibility, Dianna Russini of The Athletic (subscription required) reports the team has not told Higgins whether he will actually receive the tag before Tuesday’s deadline.

Nonetheless, sources tell Callahan and Kyed that Higgins will not be available (either as an FA or as a trade candidate). Should the Bengals change their mind on that front, the Patriots would be back in the mix, despite some conflicting reports to the contrary.

It has been said that the Patriots would explore trades for a WR, though the Boston Herald believes the team would prefer to address their need for a proven pass-catcher through free agency to avoid surrendering premium draft capital. The Bucs’ Chris Godwin would be a top target if Tampa Bay allows him to test the free agent waters, and on the trade front, the Pats have reportedly “kicked the tires” on the Seahawks’ D.K. Metcalf. It is presently unclear if those discussions gained any traction.

Given New England’s areas of need, it is not surprising that Callahan and Kyed – whose piece is well-worth a read for Pats fans in particular given its scope and comprehensiveness – name Eagles DT Milton Williams and 49ers CB Charvarius Ward as several of New England’s other top FA targets.

Patriots To Explore WR Trade Market; Team Out On Tee Higgins?

February 28th, 2025 at 5:02pm CST by Adam La Rose

Tee Higgins was long known to be the top option at the receiver position in the 2025 free agent class. As the Bengals aim to keep him in place on a long-term pact, they are prepared to use the franchise tag on him for the second year in a row, however.

Before it was learned Cincinnati would take that route, the Patriots were named on more than one occasion as a strong suitor. New England has ample cap space and the need to upgrade at the receiver position, so a lucrative offer would have come as no surprise. Now, the only way Higgins could be acquired would be through a tag-and-trade.

Even if the Bengals were to entertain such a move, though, New England may not be a suitor. Chad Graff of The Athletic reports the Patriots’ offseason plan “does not include” an attempt to trade for Higgins (subscription required). That marks a departure from the team’s previous stance, but a consensus does not appear to exist on this front. The Boston Sports Journal’s Mike Giardi writes New England should in fact still be counted among the teams willing to pursue Higgins should a trade become feasible.

Regardless of how things shake out in that respect, Graff confirms to no surprise the Patriots intend to focus on making additions on the line of scrimmage this offseason. Upgrading multiple O-line spots represents an obvious priority given the way 2024 played out. If Davon Godchaux ends up being traded, meanwhile, adding at the defensive tackle spot will increasingly become important.

Still, Graff’s report states the Patriots intend to be active on the trade market as it pertains to wideouts. Two high-profile names – Cooper Kupp (Rams) and Deebo Samuel (49ers) – are known to be available. The former was informed by Los Angeles the team (which is willing to retain money in a deal) will be moving on, while the latter has seen San Francisco’s front office confirm it will honor his trade request. Early Samuel suitors have emerged, but the Patriots are not believed to be among them.

On that note, Giardi reports Samuel’s play against man coverage has been raised as a concern by teams at the Combine. The 29-year-old’s skillset makes him one of the more unique players in the league, but injuries in addition to his age could give suitors pause when contemplating a trade. Given their league-leading cap space (nearly $128MM), however, the Patriots are better equipped than many to absorb a notable contract in a deal and/or work out an extension with a new wideout upon arrival.

New head coach Mike Vrabel made it clear earlier this week he expects the Patriots to be aggressive in free agency. It will be interesting to see if the new league year also brings about movement on the trade front as the team looks to improve from its last-place finish in passing offense from 2024.

Bengals Prepared To Make Ja’Marr Chase NFL’s Highest-Paid Non-QB

February 25th, 2025 at 11:08pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Bengals were unable to work out an extension agreement with Ja’Marr Chase last offseason, and the decision to use the franchise tag on Tee Higgins led to doubt about his future beyond 2024. In the case of both receivers, the team remains intent on inking both to long-term deals.

Chase in particular will require an historic investment in the wake of Justin Jefferson resetting the market for non-quarterbacks last year. Chase’s LSU teammate secured $35MM per year on average from the Vikings, but a new Bengals deal will check in at a higher rate. Coming off the back of a triple-crown season, Chase has been connected to an asking price of $40MM per season.

In spite of the organization’s track record regarding massive player investments, reaching an agreement at least in the vicinity of that figure is the target. De facto general manager Duke Tobin said on Tuesday (via ESPN’s Adam Schefter) the Bengals are planning to “reward” Chase by making him the highest-paid non-QB in NFL history. Head coach Zac Taylor echoed that sentiment when speaking to the media (h/t Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer).

As Joe Burrow has turned up the heat on the franchise regarding doing what it takes to retain Higgins and Trey Hendrickson, Tobin has offered some support that the QB will see a positive outcome here. The longtime Bengals exec said (via The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr.) he is optimistic extensions for all three are doable.

The Bengals are paying for delaying the Chase deal, as the hesitancy — a delay not shown by the Eagles and Dolphins with first-rounders DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle — preceded a price-raising season from the 2021 fifth overall pick. Miami and Philly became the first teams — in the fifth-year option era — to extend a first-round wideout with two years of rookie-deal control remaining. Mike Brown said early in training camp the Bengals were unlikely to follow suit. Although the team was believed to have come close to extending Chase before last season, not doing so will lead to a bigger payment being required. While surpassing Jefferson’s $35MM AAV is one matter, a team not known for post-Year 1 guarantees going past the $88.7MM the Vikings fully guaranteed their All-Pro wideout is another.

Regarding Higgins, the Bengals paying him would contradict a years-long expectation. Higgins had been expected to depart, via free agency defection or tag-and-trade transaction, for a while. Last month, Tobin said the team would aim to re-sign Higgins at the “right number.” It would seem Burrow’s efforts, years after Carson Palmer forced his way out due to frustration with the organization’s transactional aggressiveness, are not going unnoticed in the Cincinnati building.

Hendrickson is eyeing a lucrative fourth contract, after tacking a one-year extension onto his initial Bengals agreement, and would be OK if it came after a trade. The All-Pro defensive end wants a quick resolution, however. Like Chase, one season remains on Hendrickson’s deal. For all the criticisms lobbed the Bengals’ way regarding contract matters, they do have a recent history of authorizing third contracts for D-linemen. They paid both Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap in 2018. Of course, paying Hendrickson with Burrow tied to a $55MM-per-year deal is a different matter even with the recent cap spikes considered.

As we detailed in a recent Trade Rumors Front Office piece, how the Bengals proceed this offseason may well affect their long-term relationship with Burrow. The superstar QB will undoubtedly be monitoring these situations closely, with the Higgins matter — expected to produce at least a placeholder franchise tag — first on the docket.

Sam Robinson contributed to this post.

2025 NFL Franchise Tag Candidates

February 20th, 2025 at 10:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

Last year’s salary cap spike created another opportunity for teams to retain talent, and once the upcoming cap surge (roughly $25MM) produces a number, the 2020 CBA will have produced four straight single-year jumps by at least $16MM. These climbs, which dwarf the per-year jumps the 2011 CBA brought, have both helped teams retain talent and pay for free agents while also ballooning the costs of franchise tags.

That said, last year featured eight players given the franchise tag and one (Kyle Dugger) receiving the transition tender. Illustrating the cap climb’s impact, eight of those nine players landed extensions. None of them occurred near the July 15 extension deadline for tagged players, leaving only the Bengals and Tee Higgins‘ non-negotiations still outstanding by the time the usually action-packed stretch arrived. Higgins is back among this year’s lot of potential tag recipients, but not as many players join him.

We are now in Year 33 of the franchise tag, a retention tool that came about during the same offseason in which full-fledged free agency spawned. With clubs having until 3pm CT on March 4 to apply tags, here is who may be cuffed:

Likely tag recipients

Tee Higgins, WR (Bengals)
Tag cost: $26.18MM

It never made too much sense for the Bengals to pass on tagging Higgins, who would at least — in the event the team would squash Joe Burrow‘s crusade to retain the veteran Ja’Marr Chase sidekick — fetch draft capital in a trade. A second Higgins tag comes in at 120% of his 2024 tag price ($21.82MM). It would be interesting if the Bengals went from not negotiating with Higgins during his four months on the tag last year — and generally being prepared to move on in 2025 — to circling back and paying him a market-value deal, but that does seem to be in play.

Burrow’s push would see the team having roughly $70MM per year allocated to the receiver position; that would squash where even the Eagles and Dolphins have gone for their high-end wideout duos. Higgins, 26, was unable to market his age-25 season thanks to the tag. If the latest rumors surrounding the former second-round pick are accurate, he would be kept off the open market once again. That is a fairly significant window to miss; then again, he would have banked $48MM during that period.

The Bengals are projected to carry more than $53MM in cap space, making this a solution they can afford. But after extensive negotiations with Chase last year and Burrow stumping for Higgins, the team has an important decision to make soon.

Cincinnati has less than two weeks to give Higgins a long-term deal. It would mark quite the about-face to do so. The organization has not seriously negotiated with the WR since the first half of 2023, and even when talks did commence, no proposal came too close to $20MM per year. Those talks predictably broke down, and Higgins’ new price is believed to be around $30MM. With plenty of suitors awaiting — the cap-rich Patriots among them — that would be doable for the 6-foot-4 target, who is coming off a better season compared to his 2023 showing.

Higgins zoomed back to his usual form by hauling in 73 passes for 911 yards and a career-high 10 touchdowns; his 75.9 yards per game trailed only his 2021 number (77.9). Higgins, however, missed five games for a second straight season. Hamstring and quad injuries kept Higgins off the field last year, but his market does not appear to have cooled as a result. At worst, the Bengals could fetch Day 2 draft capital in a trade. A first-round pick may be tougher here due to an acquiring team needing to authorize a pricey extension, but teams have been calling ahead of the past two deadlines. Cincinnati still has options, but its Higgins plans will certainly need to be run by Burrow given how much he has stumped for the team to retain the five-year vet.

On tag radar

Sam Darnold, QB (Vikings)
Projected tag cost: $42.39MM

Rumors have not pointed to a clear-cut plan here. At least, the Vikings’ vision for their would-be bridge QB has not become public. But the sides are still talking. Minnesota saw the formerly underwhelming starter break through at 27, taking advantage of the Vikings’ weaponry and Kevin O’Connell‘s ability to coach up quarterbacks. Darnold earned original-ballot Pro Bowl acclaim, throwing 35 touchdown passes (to 12 INTs) and smashing more career-high marks in yardage (4,319) and completion percentage (66.2). Previously in place to hold down the fort while J.J. McCarthy developed, Darnold saw the rookie’s meniscus tear change his Twin Cities outlook.

McCarthy has undergone two surgeries and may have a long way to go in his rehab. As McCarthy went down before playing a regular-season snap, it would make sense for the Vikings to give strong consideration to cuffing Darnold as a pricey insurance measure. On the other hand, the Vikings have a few key performers set to hit the market soon. Byron Murphy, Camryn Bynum and Aaron Jones are moving toward the market. A Darnold cap hold of more than $40MM would clog Minnesota’s payroll ahead of free agency, though the team is projected to carry $63.3MM in space.

Darnold’s late-season letdown undoubtedly factors into the Vikes’ equation, as $42.39MM can be viewed as a bit steep for a player who did not consistently impress in New York or Carolina. But Darnold has proven he can excel in O’Connell’s system. As we detailed on a recent Trade Rumors Front Office post, a multiyear deal for Darnold would not make as much sense; the team still has high hopes for McCarthy. Unless the Vikings plan to entertain the expected trade calls for last year’s No. 10 overall pick, the only way Darnold would stay would be via the tag.

A tag would not be in Darnold’s best interests, as the soon-to-be 28-year-old passer has rare momentum ahead of an offseason featuring several teams with QB needs. A much-criticized draft class at the position would also benefit Darnold, who has been linked to potentially scoring a Baker Mayfield-like deal (three years, $100MM). With the cap now climbing to around $280MM, the seven-year vet could conceivably aim higher. The Vikings hold the cards here in the meantime, as this represents one of the more interesting tag decisions in several years.

Big markets await otherwise

Jevon Holland, S (Dolphins)
Projected tag cost: $20.13MM

Already cutting Raheem Mostert, Kendall Fuller and Durham Smythe to save space, the Dolphins are not expected to roll out a tag for Holland. This would mark a second straight year the Dolphins will send one of the top free agency-eligible players to the market. Miami let Christian Wilkins and Robert Hunt walk in 2024; each lineman signed a top-market deal. Holland would be expected to follow suit, as the former second-round pick has started 57 games and is going into his age-25 season. The Dolphins are projected to hold barely $1MM in cap space, mandating more moves ahead of the 2025 league year.

The British Columbia, Canada, native has five career sacks, five picks and five forced fumbles. This comes along with 25 pass breakups. The past two free agencies have seen one safety check in much higher than his peers contractually, with Jessie Bates (four years, $64MM) and Xavier McKinney (4/67) scoring top-five contracts. The latest cap spike will help Holland, who can aim for the $16MM-AAV Bates tier as a floor.

Although PFF viewed Holland as better under Vic Fangio (third overall) than Anthony Weaver (56th), the months-long Miami extension candidate will still do very well if he hits the market. Extension talks with the Oregon alum did not pick up before last season, and the Dolphins appear close to losing another quality starter early in free agency.

Trey Smith, G (Chiefs)
Projected tag cost: $25.8MM

Over the past 15 years, only two guards have been tagged: Brandon Scherff and Joe Thuney. Washington cuffed Scherff twice, letting him walk in 2022. New England kept Thuney as a placeholder during a busy 2020 on the tag front. Both players scored then-guard-record deals on the open market. Smith is expected to follow suit, as the Chiefs are viewed as unlikely to apply this pricey placeholder on their four-year right guard starter. Despite having attempted to extend Smith for a bit last summer, the former sixth-round find remains unsigned.

Kansas City looks likely to go left tackle shopping, as Thuney proved overmatched in his final fill-in assignment there, and its four-year LG starter is under contract for one more season. The Chiefs’ four-year, $80MM Jawaan Taylor misstep carries an already-guaranteed 2025 base salary ($19.5MM), thanks to the ex-Jaguar RT being on the Chiefs’ roster last March, and the team handed All-Pro Creed Humphrey a deal that easily made him the NFL’s highest-paid center. Losing Smith may be the cost of doing business, unless the three-time defending AFC champions can craft an 11th-hour solution to keep the 25-year-old Pro Bowler via the tag.

Ronnie Stanley, T (Ravens)
Projected tag cost: $25.8MM

It is highly unlikely the Ravens use the tag here, as they already gave Stanley a pay cut in 2024. That said, Baltimore wants to work something out with its longtime left tackle. Stanley’s injury history also would make a $25.8MM guarantee lofty, but this also could be a placeholder to ensure he does not leave in free agency. The Ravens lost three O-line starters in 2024, and this is the costliest position up front.

Then again, the Ravens faced a similar situation in 2019, and they let C.J. Mosley walk rather than overpay on the tag. The Ravens have used the tag in each of the past two offseasons, but it was to retain younger players (Lamar Jackson, Nnamdi Madubuike). They currently are projected to carry barely $12MM in cap space. As PFF notes, only six players 28 and older have been tagged over the past five years. No player over 30 has been tagged since the Bengals retained A.J. Green in 2020. Green was 32 that season; Stanley will turn 31 in March.

The Garett Bolles–Dion Dawkins–Taylor Decker tier, as our Nikhil Mehta pointed out, may be the place to watch for Stanley, who reestablished momentum last season after playing 17 games for the first time in his career and making the Pro Bowl. He is in position to command a nice third contract. Will it come from the Ravens? After the tag window closes, Baltimore has until March 10 to negotiate exclusively with the nine-year blocker.

Load More Posts