Tee Higgins rumored contract price proves Bengals should cut their losses

The Cincinnati Bengals might've missed the playoffs, but they had one of the most dynamic offenses in the NFL this past regular season, ranking sixth in points per game (27.8) and leading the league in passing yards per game (272.9).

Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase understandably received most of the credit for Cincinnati's success, particularly in the passing game, but Tee Higgins is a crucial member of the operation as well. The Bengals averaged over 27 points per game but scored below that number in three of the five games Higgins missed this past season due to injury, and failed to even reach 20 points in two of those contests.

Higgins is not Chase, but he's as good as it gets when discussing a No. 2 receiver. That fact alone is why many Bengals fans and Joe Burrow want Higgins re-signed when he hits free agency this coming offseason. His rumored asking price, however, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler ($) makes it abundantly clear that the Bengals are probably better off simply letting him walk, as hard as that is for many to hear.

"The over/under on Bengals receiver Tee Higgins' market is $30 million per season, and the majority of team personnel that I spoke with believe he'll hit or clear the over. The lowest estimate I heard was somewhere slightly above DeVonta Smith's three-year, $75 million deal. The rest saw him breaking into the $30 million range, based on his status as a No. 1-caliber receiver and the number of teams desperate for pass-catching help," Fowler wrote.

It sounds like the bare minimum it'd take to get Higgins back would be to give him $25 million AAV over a long-term deal, and it will almost certainly cost more than that. If that's what it's going to take, the Bengals will be better off staying away.

Tee Higgins contract demands make it clear Bengals will have to let him walk

In an ideal world, Higgins would be a member of the Bengals for a long time. Again, he's as good as it gets when discussing No. 2 receivers.

Despite being limited to just 12 games this past season, the 26-year-old recorded 73 receptions for 911 yards and 10 touchdowns. Despite being a No. 2 option, Higgins was tied for ninth in receiving yards per game with Davante Adams at 75.9.

He has recorded at least 900 yards in four of his five seasons, with the lone exception being the 2023 campaign - a year which saw him play just 12 games and saw Burrow miss time due to injury as well. Higgins would be a No. 1 receiver for a lengthy list of teams, and unsurprisingly, is looking to get paid like one.

Can the Bengals make it work with Higgins? Probably, yeah. The problem, though, is that they only have $46.5 million of cap space according to Over the Cap. Not only do the Bengals have key stars like Chase and Trey Hendrickson to pay either this offseason or next, but they have a defense to overhaul. The biggest reason why the Bengals did not make the playoffs in 2024 was because of their abysmal defense.

Higgins returning would be great, but their offense, as long as Burrow and Chase are in town, should be fine even without him. Their defense, however, is an absolute mess, and paying Higgins won't help address it.

If the Bengals can get Higgins on some sort of hometown discount, that'd be great. They should try to get him back. However, if he's chasing the top dollar, which is within his right, there is a point where it becomes too much. $30 million is where the line absolutely must be drawn. That's where the Bengals are better off letting him walk so they can still have the funds to address other needs.