Multiple teams inquired about the availability of franchise-tagged Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins, but Cincinnati’s appetite for parting with the No. 2 receiver remains unclear, according to reports.
Given the franchise tag for the second year in a row, Higgins would lock in a one-year salary worth $26.2 million if he signs the tender offer from the Bengals.
Cincinnati’s public position has been Higgins is not unavailable. The Bengals also have a number of other contract situations to address.
The Bengals and Higgins have until July 15 to come to terms on a long-term contract agreement. The trade value set under the terms of the CBA on franchise tags would be two first-round draft picks.
Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin said last month at the NFL Scouting Combine the team’s preference is to keep Higgins.
But negotiations could be tricky with defensive end Trey Hendrickson and All-Pro wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase in line for new contracts.
Chase is entering the final year of his contract and not expected to play next season without a new deal in place. The strategy was employed by Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk last summer. In each case, the team balked to end the standoff and both players emerged with near top-of-market long-term deals.
Higgins, 26, played in 12 games (nine starts) in 2024 and caught 10 TD passes with 73 receptions for 911 yards. He has 34 career touchdowns, 330 catches and 4,595 yards in 70 regular-season games (62 starts) since being selected in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. The Bengals used the No. 1 pick in the same draft to select quarterback Joe Burrow, who said he would be disappointed if Higgins doesn’t return.
Hendrickson, 30, led the NFL in sacks with 17.5 in 2024, the same number he reached in 2023 after agreeing to a contract extension through 2025.
