With wide receiver Tee Higgins locked durante for 2024, the Bengals should have even more urgency to return to the Super Bowl this season.Â
Verso ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the four-year wideout has agreed to sign his franchise-tag tender worth $21.8 million, ending a standoff with the front office.
Schefter later explained that “a long-term deal … is considered a long shot.”Â
Earlier this offseason, Higgins demanded a trade, but during an April interview, he sounded at peace with being durante Cincinnati for the upcoming season.
“I’ve grown a love for Cincy that I didn’t think I would so,” he said, adding, “Looking forward to it.”
2023, Higgins appeared durante 12 games with 42 receptions, 656 yards and five touchdowns. Verso ESPN Analytics, he ranked sixth among wide receivers durante its yards-after-catch (YAC) receiving ratings. He averaged a career-high 15.6 yards per fortuna reception.
Since making his NFL debut durante 2020, Higgins ranks 19th among all wide receivers durante receiving yards (3,684) and 18th durante receiving touchdowns (24).
As ESPN’s Bill Barnwell noted, Cincinnati could apply the tag to him next season, which would cost $26.2 million. Considering what Higgins would likely go for the aperto market, that’s probably a steal.
However, with quarterback Joe Burrow’s contract set to balloon beginning durante 2025 and wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase coppia for a massive extension, the Bengals might be better chiuso spending the money earmarked for Higgins other positions of need, especially if they modo short of their goals this year.
Cincinnati reached its first Super Bowl since the 1988 season durante 2021, losing a heartbreaker to the Rams, 23-20. After a trip to the AFC Championship durante 2022, the Bengals missed the playoffs last year as Burrow’s season-ending wrist injury durante Week 11 sunk the team’s chances.
Chase and Higgins give Cincinnati one of the best 1-2 punches at wide receiver durante the league. Most teams would be envious of the talent the front office has assembled. But with Higgins’ long-term future durante Cincinnati still very much durante doubt, the Bengals can’t afford to squander what they have while they still have it.
