The Cincinnati Bengals have officially placed the franchise tag on Tee Higgins, taking the top wide receiver and arguably the best player overall off the free agent market. The move that had been rumored for weeks officially happens one day before the tag deadline and will cost the team more than $26 million.
Higgins himself shared the news, tweeting “tag” a short time ago.
As NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport notes, the Bengals are hopeful of working out a long-term deal with Higgins. It makes back-to-back seasons Higgins has received the franchise tag as Cincinnati aggressively spends money to try and keep its top stars together. WR Ja’Marr Chase is poised to become the highest-paid receiver in football before 2025 kicks off while DE Trey Hendrickson is looking for a big-money deal after leading the league with 17.5 sacks.
Homegrown, Higgins has been an excellent No. 2 throughout his career. Despite missing multiple games in 2024, he still caught 73 passes for 911 yards and 10 touchdowns, including a three-score outburst in a crucial late-season win over the Denver Broncos that kept the Bengals’ playoff hopes alive.
In two games against Pittsburgh, Higgins combined for nine receptions, 122 yards, and one touchdown as the Steelers and Bengals split their regular-season series.
Even had Tee Higgins reached free agency, the odds of the Steelers signing him were low. He was expected to command close to or right at $30 million per season and would almost certainly receive guaranteed money past Year 1, something Pittsburgh reserves only for quarterbacks and top-of-market contracts. Higgins would’ve been paid a lot but not as the No. 1 receiver in football.
However, the fact Higgins is no longer an option impacts Pittsburgh. Other receiver-needy teams will set their sights elsewhere and compete for the same veterans the Steelers could pursue this offseason. There are several free agent receivers worth considering, including Tampa Bay’s Chris Godwin (who may re-sign with the Bucs before free agency), the New York Giants’ Darius Slayton, Buffalo’s Amari Cooper, and Chicago’s Keenan Allen. New York Jets wideout Davante Adams is expected to be released if not traded while Jacksonville’s Christian Kirk and Seattle’s Tyler Lockett are possible cap causalities.
Higgins being tagged by the Bengals also means the Steelers will have to face him twice in the 2025 regular season. If the Bengals get their way, they’ll deploy Higgins against Pittsburgh for a lot longer than that.
