The Bengals have another shot at the Super Bowl as they manage to keep their core players together for another year. Tee Higgins will stay in Cincinnati for the near future, but not for long. The club placed a franchise tag on him for the upcoming season but with no long-term deal in sight, his future with the team appears uncertain.
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There was never a concrete deal in the works for Higgins, and negotiations proved unfruitful. The Bengals acknowledged this reality and therefore offered a one-year franchise tag. Higgins, wanting a new contract, held out, putting him and the club at an impasse.
He decided to sit out all the off-season practices in hopes of securing an extension, but that never materialized. The holdout finally ended last month when both parties reached an agreement, and Higgins decided to play on the tag.
As per ESPN, Higgins was expecting a $25 million contract but settled for a franchise tag number of $21.8 million, fully guaranteed. Not a bad money for a receiver who has struggled with injuries, missing five games last season due to rib and hamstring issues.
Playing on a fully guaranteed franchise tag means he doesn’t have to risk playing through even minor injuries and can still hit the free agency market next year. With the market already exploding, it wouldn’t be surprising if even a WR2 like Tee secures a $25-30 million contract.
However, if he wants to be a WR1 elsewhere and get the best deal possible, he will need to put up big numbers this year. Last season was his worst in Cincy, contributing only 656 yards and 5 TDs on a career-low 42 receptions.
Higgins’s potential departure spells trouble for the franchise, but the Bengals have a year to prepare a promising Alabama rookie who is brimming with potential and comes with an impressive pedigree.
Bengals Have A Secret Weapon Developing
With Tee Higgins likely to depart next season, the Bengals might need another competent receiver to fill the gap. It looks like they may have found their future WR2 in the draft.
Cincinnati used their 3rd round 80th overall pick to draft Wideout Jermaine Burton. Coming from the University of Alabama, he racked up 798 yards on 39 receptions with 8 TDs for the Crimson Tide. He led the SEC and was 6th in college football for yards per reception, averaging an impressive 20.5. Burton provides a valuable downfield threat for the Bengals.
With Tyler Boyd’s departure, Burton could find himself on the receiving end of many passes from Burrow, especially if Higgins misses more games this season. Since 2020, he has been training under former Bengals WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh.
Last season, the trio of Burrow, Higgins, and Chase all missed games, which derailed their campaign and kept them out of the playoffs. Now, with all three fit and back together for another season, the Bengals are poised to launch another bid Super Bowl bid before their competitive window closes.
