Tee Higgins would be arguably the best player to hit free agency if he hit the open market this offseason.
But there’s a very realistic scenario in which that doesn’t happen.
According to a report from Bengals reporter James Rapien, Higgins and his camp expect Cincinnati to uses its non-exclusive franchise tag on the star wide receiver. The Bengals are eligible to place the tag on Higgins anytime between Tuesday and March 4.
The Bengals plan to use the added time to come to terms on a long-term deal with Higgins, Rapien wrote for Sports Illustrated’s “Bengals on SI.” Higgins played on the franchise tag in 2024, but that’s not the expectation entering 2025.
Higgins would cost $26.2 million if he played on the franchise tag for a second consecutive season.
While nothing is set in stone — the Bengals could tag-and-trade Higgins to ensure they get something for him — the development still feels like a brutal blow to receiver-needy teams like the New England Patriots. The Patriots were expected to be one of the big players for Higgins, if he hit the open market.
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow put public pressure on the organization to retain Higgins, who expressed the desire to return to Cincinnati himself. The 26-year-old wideout feels like he’s another step closer to returning to The Jungle.
