How great would current Cincinnati Bengals WR Tee Higgins look in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Black and Gold? Personally, I would love to see that happen and I’m fairly sure more than a few of you reading this feel the same way. While nothing should prevent Steelers fans from hoping Higgins lands in Pittsburgh after the start of the 2025 NFL year in March, don’t count on those wishes coming to fruition.
For starters, Higgins is not guaranteed to become an unrestricted free agent at the start of the new league, and that’s because there’s still a chance that the Bengals could place the franchise tag on the fifth-year veteran. Bengals QB Joe Burrow has made it known that he would like Higgins to remain in Cincinnati, and while it would be quite a chore for the Bengals to make that happen, it’s plausible just the same.
Even if Higgins is not franchise tagged, the likelihood of him signing with the Steelers as an unrestricted free agent during the offseason isn’t high. If Higgins hits free agency, it’s hard to imagine him not being the most sought-after unrestricted-type this offseason, especially when it comes to the wide receiver position. Pro Football Focus has already listed Higgins as its top pending unrestricted free agent, and I suspect PFF won’t be the only major media site to do so by the time the start of the new league year rolls around.
“Higgins rarely missed playing time over his first three seasons but has, unfortunately, been bitten by the injury bug in back-to-back contract years,” PFF recently noted. “That said, when Higgins suited up in 2024, he consistently produced at a high level. The fourth-ranked player in PFF’s Free Agency Rankings last season, Higgins figures to be one of the most sought-after players on the market again in 2025.”
For what it’s worth, PFF has a projected Higgins’ offseason contract value at four years, $112 million with $67.5 million guaranteed. That’s $28 million per year if you are scoring at home. And $28 million per year would rank Higgins eighth overall, and tie him with New York Jets WR Davante Adams when it comes to the top wide receiver earnings, according to Over the Cap. That list, by the way, is led by Minnesota Vikings WR Justin Jefferson at $35 million.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Higgins fetched more than $28 million per year on the open market. That said, $28 million would probably at least serve as his floor price and thus a plausible one at that.
While $28 million per year isn’t an outlandish price for a wide receiver such as Higgins, the money aspect of such a deal, especially the fully guaranteed portion, would likely be a huge obstacle for the Steelers to overcome. Remember, the Steelers just don’t like to fully guarantee money past the first year of new deals for any players unless they are franchise quarterbacks or top-of-the-market players at their respective positions (see: OLB T.J. Watt and S Minkah Fitzpatrick).
Just last offseason, ILB Patrick Queen was the Steelers’ most notable unrestricted free agent signing as his deal was three-years, $41 million, an average of $13,666,666. Even so, and while Queen became the highest-paid unrestricted free agent signing the Steelers have ever made when it came to his average per year, the Steelers still only fully guaranteed the first year of that deal. Queen is due a $6.67 million roster bonus in March, but that is not fully guaranteed until he reaches that date.
It’s hard to imagine Higgins signing a contract with a new team that does not include fully guaranteed money beyond the 2025 season, In fact, he might be angling to get the first three full years fully guaranteed.
Last offseason, Calvin Ridley was the free agent prize at the wide receiver position, and he left the Jacksonville Jaguars to sign a four-year, $92 million contract with the Tennessee Titans. That deal, which averaged $23 million annually, included $46.98 million fully guaranteed, or nearly the first two full years of the contract. Ridley got that deal from the Titans after registering 76 receptions for 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns for the Jaguars in 2023.
Could and should the Steelers break their long-standing precedent when it comes to outside free agents as it relates to hierarchy in their current player APY list as well as fully guaranteed money beyond the first year? Absolutely they could and should. But will they? I will believe it when I actually see them do it.
The Steelers look poised to be very active in free agency this offseason as their salary cap and cash-spending situations indicate that will be the case. Even so, I will be shocked if the Steelers go all out and land Higgins, who very well could wind up being the top unrestricted free agent on the market this offseason should the Bengals let that happen. Ultimately, I hope I’m wrong because the Steelers certainly could use a talented wide receiver such as Higgins. I don’t, however, believe that any level of wishcasting, and that includes my own, will result in Higgins wearing Black and Gold in 2025.
