The Cincinnati Bengals have their work cut out for them to keep Tee Higgins as part of their offensive trio. While they already have QB Joe Burrow locked up, their next priority is extending WR Ja’Marr Chase this offseason. The only problem is that Higgins, their other top receiver, is a pending free agent. And arguably the top free agent at his position by a comfortable margin, at that.
“It’s going to be hard” to get a deal done with Higgins, Bengals director of personnel Duke Tobin acknowledged, via Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer. “We feel like we have the resources to do it, but it all depends on how the negotiation goes and whether they’re willing to accept wanting to come back at a number that makes sense for everybody”.
The Bengals drafted Higgins at the top of the second round in 2021, the same year they drafted Burrow. They believed the two would grow together, and they have, but after drafting Chase the following year, he immediately leaped to the top of the pecking order.
Higgins is still a first-rate receiver and put up a career-high 10 touchdowns in just 12 games last season. Health has been his biggest bugaboo, but he could be a legitimate WR1 for many teams. While the Bengals are expected to reset the wide receiver market with Chase, Higgins will comfortably slot in.
For now, Justin Jefferson reigns supreme with his $35 million-per-year deal. Chase will surpass that, but Higgins is expected to join the $30 million-per-year club as well. Could the Bengals really afford to commit over $75 million per year to a pair of receivers?
Teams paying multiple receivers high-value contracts is not unprecedented, and the Bengals know that Burrow, Chase, and Higgins are the heart of their offense. But Tobin knows that they have other priorities as well—including some big ones. Defensive Player of the Year finalist Trey Hendrickson is another player, along with Chase, due for an extension. Higgins is by far their biggest priority among pending free agents, though.
“I’ve always been very up front in my desire to have Tee Higgins on our team”, Tobin said. “But we have to be able to come together with his representation on what that means and what the right number is for his experience, for his play time, for his production. We have other guys who are trying to take big bites of the apple in other areas, and we’re going to have to balance those as we go forward”.
The Bengals are a team that does allow key pieces to walk. Most recently, they did that with S Jessie Bates III. Higgins has known for years that he might eventually have to take the same route. He played under the franchise tag in 2024, making it less likely they would tag him again. To tag him again in 2025 would cost the Bengals over $26 million, and that’s a straight cap hit. No wiggle room.
