Bengals place franchise tag on
receiver Tee Higgins for 2nd time
[March 04, 2025]
CINCINNATI (AP) — The Cincinnati Bengals have placed the
franchise tag on Tee Higgins for a second time, as the team hopes to
work out a long-term deal with the star wide receiver.
If the Bengals can’t reach a contract with the 26-year-old Higgins
before July 15, his salary for the 2025 season would be $26.2
million.
Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin reiterated last week
at the NFL scouting combine that one of his top priorities is to get
a deal done with Higgins.
“You can pull up three years ago, talking about doing a long-term
deal with Tee and here we are today, still talking about doing a
long-term deal,” Tobin said. ”Whenever I’m in charge of a football
team, I want Tee Higgins and so I’m going to do what I can to get
Tee Higgins."
Higgins posted a one-word reaction on social media after getting the
news Monday afternoon — “tag.”
Higgins would have been one of the top players to hit free agency.
Instead, he is the second player to receive a franchise tag, joining
Kansas City guard Trey Smith. Teams have until Tuesday at 4 p.m. EST
to tag players.
Higgins was tied for sixth in the league this past season with 10
touchdown catches. He also had 73 receptions for 911 yards and
averaged 12.5 yards per catch.
HIs best game last season was on Dec. 28 against Denver, when he had
11 receptions for 131 yards and three touchdowns, including a 3-yard
score in overtime that kept the Bengals alive for another week in
the postseason chase. Cincinnati won its final five games to finish
9-8, but missed the playoffs for the second straight year.
Higgins was a second-round pick by the Bengals in 2020, the same
season Joe Burrow was the top overall pick. Higgins has at least 900
receiving yards in four of his five seasons, and had more than 1,000
yards in 2021 and '22.
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Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins lines up against the
Dallas Cowboys during an NFL football game in Arlington, Texas, Dec.
9, 2024. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File)
Higgins is one of three vital players the Bengals
are looking to reach extensions with during the offseason.
Cincinnati is looking to make All-Pro wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase
the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL. Chase led the league in
receptions (127), yards receiving (1,708) and touchdown catches (17)
this season, becoming just the sixth wide receiver in the Super Bowl
era to achieve the receiving triple crown.
All-Pro edge rusher Trey Hendrickson is also in the final year of
his contract after leading the league with 17 1/2 sacks last season.
“We have a lot of really good football players, fantastic football
players. And we’re fortunate to be in a position where we can fit
them all in. We’ve managed our cap well,” Tobin said. “We want a
high payroll and low dead money, so the people that are in
Cincinnati playing for us can get all the money.
"We want to re-sign these guys, reward them for their ability level
and add to the football team. It’s a tall task, but we think we’re
up to it.”
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