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It was long expected that Higgins would not
receive a new contract extension by the deadline. Of eight
franchise or transition tag players in the NFL, Higgins is the
only one who did not get a deal in time. That includes edge
rusher Brian Burns and cornerback L'Jarius Sneed, who were
traded to the New York Giants and Tennessee Titans,
respectively, before reaching new deals.
Higgins reportedly requested a trade after being tagged in
February, but he disputed that notion when speaking to reporters
at his youth football camp this spring, saying he only wanted to
play for the Bengals. Higgins did not sign the franchise tag
until June 17 -- after missing offseason workouts with the team.
Higgins will earn $21.8 million on his franchise tender in 2024.
"I'm excited to move forward with Tee," Bengals coach Zac Taylor
said in a statement. "He's done a great job handling his
situation, and we are happy to get him back in the fold so we
can start working toward a great 2024 season."
Higgins, 25, had 42 catches for 656 yards and five touchdowns in
12 games (11 starts) in 2023, missing five games due to rib and
hamstring injuries. The former second-round draft pick has
hauled in 257 catches for 3,684 yards and 24 TDs in 58 games (53
starts) since 2020.
Cincinnati is not out of the woods regarding the receiver
position, as star wideout Ja'Marr Chase is seeking an extension
and has been rumored as a training camp holdout candidate.
--Field Level Media [© 2024 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
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