3 Reasons Why Bengals Would Be Smart To Use Franchise Tag on Tee Higgins

2. It gives the Bengals flexibility

If the Bengals do put the tag on Higgins, he'll essentially go into next year playing on a one-year, $20 million contract. Even with the tag, Higgins is free to negotiate with other teams – the tag just allows the Bengals to have the final say and match any offer he gets. As a front office, being in the driver's seat for situations like this is never a bad thing; the Bengals could let him play on the tag, or match any offer, or even tag-and-trade him. And which route they choose is its own debate entirely, but you can be the Bengals want to be in control of their own destiny, so to speak. Tagging him lets them do that.