The Cincinnati Bengals faced several challenges this season on the offensive side of the ball. Injuries to key players kept the team from reaching the heights we have become accustomed to seeing in the past, but they didn’t let that slow them down too much.
One of the players who experienced those highs and lows was wide receiver Tee Higgins. Higgins got off to a painfully slow start and each time he was beginning to find some traction, an injury would occur.
He played in only 12 games this season, battling several ailments. As a result, his production was up and down throughout the season. He caught only 42 passes for 656 yards and five touchdowns.
NFL News & Rumors: Tee Higgins & Cincinnati Bengals Updates
That isn’t the kind of season any player wants to have when they are heading into free agency. But, Higgins is poised to cash in this offseason as one of the best wide receivers on the market. Many evaluators believe he is ready for a No. 1 role after playing second fiddle to Ja’Marr Chase for the last three seasons.
Rumors have swirled that the team could look to trade him as they may not have the funds to keep him long-term. However, one NFL writer believes Higgins will remain in Cincinnati for at least the 2024 season.
Aaron Schatz of ESPN has predicted that the Bengals will not trade Higgins as many people have believed they would. Instead, Schatz is predicting that they use the franchise tag on him and bring the band back together one more time.
“The Bengals will place the franchise tag on Higgins instead of trading him to another team as often rumored. They are currently sixth in projected cap space for 2024 and can easily fit the franchise tag into their budget and keep this high-end offense rolling,” Schatz wrote.
It certainly makes sense to use the tag on Higgins, keeping him with the team for at least one more season. However, a long-term deal is difficult to project because the team will also begin extension talks with Chase this offseason.
NFL News & Rumors: Tee Higgins & Cincinnati Bengals Updates
Can the Bengals afford to keep both players, dumping top-of-the-line money into players at the same position? Their offense reaching elite status is predicated on Chase and Higgins, both No. 1 caliber receivers, being in the mix. But with holes elsewhere on the roster, paying that price could be costly.
Running it back one more time in 2024, with Higgins on the franchise tag, seems like a feasible thing. But, it will get tougher to keep this group together as Burrow’s record-setting extension kicks in and Chase has set himself up to reset the wide receiver market as well
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