Bengals Franchise Tag Tee Higgins for Second Consecutive Season

The Cincinnati Bengals have officially placed the franchise tag on wide receiver Tee Higgins for the second year in a row. Higgins himself confirmed the news with a simple yet telling post on X saying, "tag." Shortly afterward, the Bengals made their announcement, emphasizing their "intent of continuing to work toward a long-term deal" with their star receiver.

Under the franchise tag, Higgins is set to earn $26.2 million for the 2025 season—if, that is, no long-term agreement is reached by the July 15 deadline. The Bengals failed to secure a multi-year deal with Higgins last offseason, but this time, they appear optimistic about locking in the 25-year-old talent. His teammates, including quarterback Joe Burrow and fellow receiver Ja'Marr Chase, have publicly urged the team to keep him in Cincinnati. Burrow even admitted he’d be "disappointed" if Higgins were to leave.

However, there’s a looming financial obstacle. While Higgins is key to the Bengals' offense, Chase is also due for a contract extension that could make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL. General Manager Duke Tobin hinted as much during the NFL Scouting Combine last week. Add to that the fact that defensive star Trey Hendrickson will hit free agency soon, and it’s clear the Bengals have a challenging balancing act ahead.

Despite Chase being the bigger name, Higgins' contributions shouldn’t be overlooked. Over the past few seasons, he’s put up impressive numbers, including back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns in 2021 and 2022. Even last season, despite missing five games, Higgins notched 73 receptions for 911 yards and a career-high 10 touchdowns. He’s been a consistent playmaker and one of the league’s most productive receivers.

But the Bengals' struggles to finalize a deal with Higgins date back to 2023, when contract talks first hit a snag. Last year, he played under the franchise tag amid swirling rumors of contentious negotiations. This offseason, Higgins has switched agents—and interestingly, now shares representation with Chase. Coincidence or strategy? Hard to say.

Higgins was expected to be one of the hottest free agents this offseason, but the Bengals have made it clear they’re not letting him go just yet. Whether they can finally give him the payday he’s been chasing remains to be seen. For now, the spotlight is on Cincinnati's front office to figure out how to secure both Higgins and their other cornerstone players without breaking the bank.