Wide receiver Tee Higgins did all that he could in the AFC Championship Game. He totaled 83 receiving yards on six receptions and scored a touchdown for the Cincinnati Bengals. Unfortunately, they lost 23-20 and now head into the offseason with some tough decisions ahead.
When it comes to Higgins, it's clear he's talented and has developed a special relationship with quarterback Joe Burrow. It's no secret he wants to keep playing with Burrow and continue making magic for many years to come but that can sometimes be out of a player's control.
As it stands right now, Higgins has one year remaining on his original four-year contract he signed with the Bengals a few years ago. He's set to be an unrestricted free agent in 2024 and of course, wants to be a Bengal in a very high-skilled but potentially crowded wide receiver situation.
Tee Higgins wants to continue playing for the Bengals beyond 2024
With wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tyler Boyd under contract for the next few years (Chase for two, Boyd for one), it could potentially make Higgins expendable but that doesn't mean they should trade him anytime soon. Higgins obviously brings a lot of value and a nice dimension to the Bengals' offense but as always, the NFL is a business, and what he wants and gets can be two entirely different things.
At any rate, Higgins was asked after the AFC Championship Game about how he plans to deal with this heartbreaking loss and a follow-up question about a potential extension with the Bengals. Here is what he had to say:
Tee Higgins on a potential extension: “I’d love to play with Joe (Burrow) for a while. He’s a great guy and a great quarterback. We have developed a really good friendship, but you know how the league works. I still have another year on my deal though, so we’ll see.”
— Charlie Goldsmith (@CharlieG__) January 30, 2023
Hopefully, everything falls into place with the Bengals and Higgins to have him in their long-term plans as he still has a lot of great football ahead of him. It's a great sight to see that he's happy with what he's done so far and excited about what could happen in the future. The time will come when a final decision has to be made as here's to hoping the Bengals keep this Higgins/Burrow connection going strong.