What's funny is, there's an alternate reality where all of this goes differently for wide receiver Tee Higgins and the Cincinnati Bengals. An alternate reality that Bengals fans would surely prefer. One where Higgins is not only a hero in Cincy, but a Super Bowl MVP. For a moment, let's rewind and head back to the beginning of the year 2022.
Tee Higgins was terrific during Cincinnati's run to the Super Bowl, and was the Bengals leading receiver — 4 receptions, 100 yards, 2 touchdowns — in their 23-20 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the biggest game in the sport. Higgins and only nine other players ever — Jerry Rice (x2), Rob Gronkowski, Larry Fitzgerald, John Stallworth, Michael Irvin, Ricky Sanders, Max McGee, Antonio Freeman, Dan Ross — have recorded at least 100 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns in the Super Bowl, giving reason to believe that had the Bengals held on and won that game, Higgins could've been named Super Bowl MVP, and if that were the case, it's nearly impossible to imagine that he'd be heading toward a split with the Bengals.
After the Cincinnati Bengals placed the franchise tag on Tee Higgins back in March, Higgins immediately requested a trade, leading to speculation that an ugly divorce could come quickly. However, the Bengals never budged, and now, despite his insistence that he wanted to either be traded or receive a long-term contract ahead of the 2024 season, Higgins is the one who was forced to budge. On Sunday morning, NFL insider Ian Rapoport provided what turns out to be the final update on the Tee Higgins contract extension saga with the Bengals.
“It has appeared evident for some time, but for clarity: The #Bengals and star WR Tee Higgins will not do an extension by Monday’s deadline. He’s signed his franchise tag, he’ll play on it, then be one of the top free agents in the 2025 offseason.”
While playing on the franchise tag this season, Higgins will be paid $21.8 million. It's a price point that Higgins would likely be fine with if it were a part of a long-term deal with guaranteed money, but Cincinnati appears hesitant to pony up that sort of money for the #2 wide receiver on a roster that is growing more and more expensive.
Higgins was selected with the 33rd pick of the 2020 NFL Draft, and immediately proved to be one of the favorite targets of fellow rookie Joe Burrow. Higgins hauled in 67 receptions for 908 yards and 6 touchdowns during his first NFL season, and looked like he was well on his way to becoming Cincinnati's #1 wide receiver… that was until the Bengals selected Joe Burrow's former college teammate Ja'Marr Chase in the 1st Round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Even still, after the addition of Chase, Higgins still put forth back-to-back 1,000 yard campaigns in his second and third NFL seasons, despite receiving 43 fewer targets in those two seasons combined than his teammate did.
Despite not getting #1 option targets, Higgins still projects as a #1 option in most other situations.
If the Bengals won't pay Tee Higgins, somebody will
Tee Higgins will only be 26 years old when he becomes a free agent next spring, which means at least one team will be more than willing to pay Higgins what he feels he should be making over the course of a multi-year contract.
“Higgins wants something in the range of what the Colts gave receiver Michael Pittman, what the Commanders gave Terry McLaurin and what the 49ers gave Deebo Samuel,” per Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer (h/t Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk). “Pittman recently signed a three-year, $70 million deal, with an annual average of $23.33 million. McLaurin makes $23.2 million a year and Samuel makes $23.85 million a season.”
According to Conway, as of late April, the Bengals had yet to make Higgins a long-term offer with an average annual salary approaching $20 million per year, but again, that has more to do with the impending financial situation in Cincinnati than it does Higgins' open market value. The Bengals have already handed Joe Burrow one of the largest contracts in NFL history, and when Ja'Marr Chase signs his next deal, it will be one that likely pays him in the neighborhood of $30 million per year. Higgins is just the odd man out, but Cincinnati's loss will soon be somebody else's gain.
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