The Cincinnati Bengals have informed wide receiver Tee Higgins that they will be placing a franchise tag on him, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL media.
Higgins will earn $21.8 million under the tag in 2024.
The Bengals will now have until mid-July to reach a long-term deal with Higgins.
Cincinnati’s decision to slap a franchise tag on Higgins hardly comes as a surprise, as this will prevent him from testing the free-agent market and also gives the club plenty of time to negotiate with him.
Higgins is coming off of a disappointing 2023 campaign that was shortened due to injuries. In 12 games, he caught 42 passes for 656 yards and five touchdowns in what was, by far, the least productive season of his NFL career to date.
The 25-year-old, who played his collegiate football at Clemson, was selected by the Bengals in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
He enjoyed a terrific rookie campaign, playing in every game and registering 67 catches for 908 yards and six scores.
Higgins then showed some improvement the following year, hauling in 74 receptions for 1,091 yards while reaching the end zone six times. He went on to post nearly identical numbers in 2022, snaring 74 balls for 1,029 yards and seven touchdowns.
The Oak Ridge, Tn. native has been Cincy’s No. 2 receiver behind Ja’Marr Chase for the last three years, giving the Bengals one of the best receiving duos in football.
Of course, now, Cincinnati needs to determine how it is going to keep both Chase and Higgins long term. Chase is eligible for a contract extension this offseason.
At the very least, the Bengals know they will have both Chase and Tee Higgins in tow for 2024.
Want the latest NFL analysis, breaking news, and insider information? Click here. Interested in reading storylines and analysis about the NBA? Check out our partner NBA Analysis Network.
