For the first time in several years, Tee Higgins did not have to worry over the summer about if, when, or where his next contract would be, thanks to a big extension he signed with the Cincinnati Bengals early this offseason.
Higgins and teammate Ja'Marr Chase signed a contract extension in March. Higgins' deal is worth $115 million over four years ($41 million guaranteed) after being franchised tagged by Cincinnati in back-to-back years. And almost a year before ultimately signing his new deal, Higgins asked out of Cincinnati.
The franchise tags and trade rumblings created a “big headache” for Higgins, he admits.
“You put in the trade request, but you really don't want to go nowhere,” Higgins said, via ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler. “It's like, ‘Are they really going to trade me?' And if they trade me, then I have to shift my whole mindset. I'm not with this team no more, I'm with this new team. I wanted to be here, but if I was to get traded, I would have made that shift then. I didn't want to make it too early, I would have been clocked out, and I didn't want that.”
Higgins, despite the distractions, did play and play well; despite missing five games each of the last two seasons, his yards per reception were at a career-high in 2023 (15.6), and he set a new career-high mark in touchdowns last season (10). He surpassed 1,000 yards in 2021 and 2022, and has come within 100 yards of the milestone in two more seasons.
Thankfully, Higgins is now locked into a long-term deal, although the Bengals could get out of it if they want. While Higgins is guaranteed over a third of the contract, Cincinnati could theoretically trade Higgins this season and incur just a $3.75 million dead cap this season and $11.25 million dead cap next season. If they choose to do so next year, the dead cap could drop to $3.75 million in 2026 and $7.5 million in 2027, and it would be just $7.5 million in 2027 if they released or traded him following the 2026 season.
Tee Higgins will make the most money of his career (to this point) in 2025, with a $15 million restructuring bonus helping boost his salary to nearly $36 million. His cap hit, however, will be at its lowest throughout this contract; he will count as $24 million in Cincinnati's books in 2025.
