The writing has been on the wall for a while now, but now it appears to be official. Star wide receiver Tee Higgins and the Cincinnati Bengals won't reach an agreement on a long-term extension before the July 15 deadline, according to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport. Higgins will now play out the 2024 season under the franchise tag and then hit unrestricted free agency in 2025.
It has appeared evident for some time, but for clarity:
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 14, 2024
The #Bengals and star WR Tee Higgins will not do an extension by Monday’s deadline. He’s signed his franchise tag, he’ll play on it, then be one of the top free agents in the 2025 offseason. pic.twitter.com/kO8omw8Gol
The Bengals have been hesitant to give Higgins a long-term deal, and that appears unlikely to change. An impending mega-extension for fellow star wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase is likely a big part of the reason why the team isn't eager to lock up Higgins. Doing so would mean that a whole lot of cap space will be allocated to two receivers, potentially at the expense of other positions.
The Bengals appear prepared to lose Higgins in free agency next year, as there will likely be teams out there willing to pay more for Higgins' services than the Bengals are. Perhaps the team's selection of Jermaine Burton in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft was a proactive move in light of Higgins' potential departure.
Higgins has played the first four seasons of his career as a member of the Bengals, and he's been an extremely productive player during his time in black-and-orange. Higgins has compiled 3,684 receiving yards and 24 touchdowns in a Bengals uniform so far. He has previously made it clear that he would like to continue his career in Cincinnati.
“As far as coming back, I would love to come back,” Higgins said in May. “I grew as a man in the past four years here. Grew as a player, made — got good new friendships. Great relationships with people not in the facility, in the City of Cincinnati, the fans are great. So I would definitely love to be here. But if that’s not the situation, then that’s not the situation.”
Unfortunately, Bengals fans need to be prepared for the fact that 2024 could very well be Higgins' last season in Cincinnati. Meanwhile, the star receiver will be looking to put his best his best foot forward in the upcoming campaign. If Higgins has a stellar season in 2024 it will only help him when it comes time to sign a new contract -- either with the Bengals or another team -- next year.