Tee Higgins to play on franchise tag in 2024 after failing to reach deal

Tee Higgins wanted a long-term agreement with the Bengals. Instead, the Cincinnati receiver will play this season with a one-year contract via the franchise tag.

Monday was the deadline for any player who had been assigned a franchise tag to reach a longer agreement. But that deadline passed with no activity.

Higgins, the former Clemson standout, now has one year remaining with the Bengals. He’ll earn a fully-guaranteed $21.816 million. The NFL pre-determines these salaries. They’re based on the average of the top five salaries at the position or 120 percent of the player’s previous salary, whichever is higher. Of course, the Bengals can try to sign him again in 2025. But he will be a free agent.

The franchise tag isn’t used by every team, every year. In fact, there were only eight players this off-season who received the tag. And of those eight, Higgins was the only player who didn’t successfully negotiate a longer-term contract.

This may be Higgins’ final season with the Bengals since Cincinnati will also need to renegotiate with star Ja’Marr Chase next off-season. The Bengals selected Chase out of LSU with the fifth pick of the of the 2021 NFL Draft. He’s made the Pro Bowl in each of his three seasons. And no doubt, he’ll command a big salary, especially in today’s market for receivers.

Bengals need to pay Ja’Marr Chase next season in hot WR market

Cincinnati might not have been able to afford to pay Higgins, an early second-round pick in 2020, what the current receiver market commands. Tyreek Hill had been the highest-paid coming into 2023. He was averaging $30 million per year with the Dolphins. But Justin Jefferson became the highest-paid receiver (and non-quarterback) when he agreed to a deal with the Vikings worth $35 million annually. The Eagles A.J. Brown and Lions Amon-Ra St Brown each agreed to a deal worth $32 million a year.

Higgins salary with the Bengals now ranks 15th.

If you’re curious, these are the players who were initially given a franchise tag. They all received better deals.

Jaguars edge rusher Josh Hines-Allen
Ravens DT Justin Madubuike
Colts WR Michael Pittman Jr.,
Bears CB Jaylon Johnson
Buccaneers S Antoine Winfield Jr.
Giants edge rusher Brian Burns (after trade from Carolina)
Titans CB L’Jarius Sneed (after trade from Chiefs)

Higgins has 257 catches and 3,684 yards in his Bengals career.

Meanwhile, Higgins and the rest of the Bengals start training camp on July 24. The receiver didn’t participate in OTAs or minicamp. But he did sign his franchise tag offer last month.