Bengals officially make a decision on Tee Higgins, and it’s not good news for WR needy teams

There has been a lot of speculation surrounding whether or not the Cincinnati Bengals will be able to retain their dynamic wide receiver tandem of Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins this offseason, with the former being eligible for an extension and the latter entering unrestricted free agency.

Teams around the league have been waiting for the Bengals to decide on Higgins with hopes of prying him away from Cincinnati, but the team’s most recent decision suggests the duo will remain intact for at least one more season.

Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Bengals have informed Higgins of their decision to franchise tag him. Rapoport adds that Higgins will have a fully guaranteed salary worth roughly $21.8 million for 2024 and that the star wideout is the “first tagged player of this window.”  

Cincinnati Bengals franchise tag star WR Tee Higgins

The Bengals had until Mar. 5 to place the tag on Higgins, but this could be a courtesy to the player, who has until July to find common ground on a long-term deal in light of the decision – maximizing his time to do so.

Cincy can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that they will at least have their star wide receiver back for 2024, but Sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline has reported that the Bengals want to keep him on the roster beyond next season.

Entering his age-25 campaign, Higgins would've been one of the most sought-after players on the market, but the Bengals had other ideas.

Since being taken with the No. 33 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Higgins has firmly entrenched himself as one of the best deep threats in the league, averaging 14.3 yards per reception throughout his career.

Higgins was a model of consistency in the first three seasons of his career, recording at least 65 receptions, 900 yards, and six touchdowns in each, but his 2023 campaign was derailed by injuries.