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One of the biggest names to watch during the 2025 NFL free agency will be Tee Higgins, who is in the final year of his current contract with the Cincinnati Bengals. While the two sides could not come to an extension agreement ahead of the 2024 season, Joe Burrow remains confident that the team will be able to re-sign Higgins.
Burrow, who has maintained a solid relationship with Higgins, said he would be willing to do “whatever it takes” to help the Bengals bring Higgins back, per Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic.
“Joe Burrow just said he's confident they will be able to find a way to get Tee Higgins back and he's willing to do what it takes,” Dehner tweeted. “Asked why he's confident, offered a sly ‘we'll see.' Wow.”
‘Up and Adams Show' host Kay Adams added that Burrow's contract cap hit “isn't crazy” in 2025, giving the Bengals room to “get creative” with an offer to Higgins. The star quarterback is still on the five-year rookie extension he signed in 2023 which will raise his annual salary to $46 million in 2025. While a high price, that still does not even make him one of the 10 highest-paid signal callers in the league.
It is unclear what Burrow believes he can do to keep Higgins in Cincinnati but the stalled conversations in 2024 kept the fifth-year receiver out of OTAs before signing a franchise tag. Higgins did not make his 2024 debut until Week 3 as he dealt with an additional hamstring injury at the beginning of the season.
Bengals look to reset in 2025 offseason
While re-signing Higgins will be a priority for the Bengals in 2025, the front office will have a lot more work to do. With four games remaining in the 2024 regular season, Cincinnati is on track to miss the playoffs for the second consecutive year after another disappointing campaign.
Since losing to the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LVI, the Bengals have continued to disappoint despite keeping most of their roster intact. The Burrow-led offense has been plagued by slow starts while their defense has continuously been an Achilles heel, often putting the team in deep holes to climb out of.
On top of Higgins, the team will also have defensive tackle B.J. Hill, cornerback Mike Hilton, tackle Trent Brown, tight end Mike Gesicki, center Ted Karras, defensive end Joseph Ossai and linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither set to become free agents in 2025. Key reserves Trayveon Williams, Tanner Hudson and Cody Ford will also hit free agency.
