Despite a growing number of talented wideouts becoming available, there are at least a few NFL teams that are trying to acquire Cincinnati Bengals wideout Tee Higgins. Multiple teams have contacted the Bengals about the availability of Higgins after the team franchise tagged him for a second straight year, according to The Athletic.
Cincinnati tagged Higgins with the intent of continuing to work toward a long-term deal for the veteran wideout, who has emerged as arguably the NFL’s top No. 2 receiver during his time with the Bengals. The Bengals have until 4 p.m. ET on July 15 to come to terms with Higgins on a long-term contract or he’ll earn $26.2 million in 2025.
Higgins played on the franchise tag last year after the two sides were ultimately unable to come to terms on a long-term deal. In 12 games, Higgins caught 73 passes for 911 yards while catching a career-high 10 touchdowns. He caught a season-high 11 passes for 131 yards and three touchdowns — including the game-winning score — in Cincinnati’s Week 17 win over the Broncos that kept their playoff hopes alive.
Higgins has said numerous times that he wants to stay in Cincinnati. Bengals quarterback quarterback Joe Burrow has also consistently lobbied for the team to sign Higgins to a long-term deal. Cincinnati GM Duke Tobin has publicly stressed how important Higgins is to the Bengals, but he did say recently that the prospect of re-signing Higgins and fellow wideout Ja’Marr Chase will be challenging.
It will be challenging, but it appears that the Bengals are going to try to sign both players in an effort to keep the NFL’s best receiving duo together while keeping their franchise quarterback happy in the process. Cincinnati has started revamping its roster while cutting cap space. The team recently released veteran offensive lineman Alex Cappa, while veteran defenders B.J. Hill and Mike Hilton are slated to hit the open market when free agency starts next week. The Bengals also recently picked up extra cap space when veteran defensive end Sam Hubbard announced his retirement.
While changes are coming to the Bengals’ roster, the team is hoping that Burrow, Chase and Higgins will remain in Cincinnati for the long haul. For that reason, Higgins staying with the Bengals is the most likely scenario, although several teams are doing their due diligence in the event that something goes awry.
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