An early list from oddsmakers puts the Pittsburgh Steelers in contention to land Cincinnati Bengals WR Tee Higgins this free agency. At +2500, BetOhio has the Steelers in the top five of new teams and sixth overall to sign Higgins this March. That works out to a 3.8-percent chance.
Of course, these odds, especially two months ahead of free agency, don’t mean much and can shift. The Bengals are the true frontrunners to retain Higgins, who is set to become the top wide receiver on the market when the new league year begins. Hope has increased over the Bengals’ changes of keeping Higgins, but they’ll still have to make the money work. They are pursuing a long-term deal with No. 1 wideout Ja’Marr Chase, who is almost certainly set to become the NFL’s highest-paid receive at over $35 million per season.
The Washington Commanders, Los Angeles Chargers, New England Patriots, and Denver Broncos all slot ahead of the Steelers in the Higgins sweepstakes.
For Pittsburgh, signing Higgins could prove challenging. Not just in the rarity of the team offering a contract that big, one that would do laps around the record-setting $13 million per year deal LB Patrick Queen inked this past offseason, but in contract structure. Would the Steelers be willing to guarantee money past the first year? It’s something they haven’t done for non-quarterbacks and players who aren’t true top-of-the-market, a bar Higgins won’t achieve from the Steelers, Bengals, or anyone else.
Despite battling injuries in 2024, Higgins had a strong season. In 12 games, he caught 73 passes for 911 yards and 10 touchdowns, including a three-score performance in a must-win overtime victory Week 17 against the Denver Broncos. In two games against the Steelers this year, Higgins combined for nine receptions, 123 yards, and one score.
Though the Steelers are expected to be in the receiver market this offseason, adding a big fish like Higgins is doubtful. There will be too much competition and the increased odds of Higgins remaining in Cincinnati only reduce Pittsburgh’s already small chances. Perhaps the team pivots to a different veteran like Davante Adams or Chris Godwin or sticks with its tried-and-true method of drafting a receive in the second or third rounds.
