Every player but one who received a franchise or transition tag this offseason wound up agreeing to a multi-year deal. The lone exception was Bengals wideout Tee Higgins, who signed his one-year tender last month. 
That decision left team and player available to negotiate a long-term deal, but at the time it remained a longshot such an agreement would be reached. The deadline for tagged players to sign a new contract is July 15, but no last-minute development is expected in Higgins’ case. The 25-year-old will play on the tag in 2024 without a deal in hand, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Having already signed the tag, Higgins will be required to attend training camp – unlike players who have previously declined to sign the tender even past the deadline for long-term deals to be finalized. The former second-rounder’s Bengals future has long been in question with Ja’Marr Chase in need of a monster extension as early as this offseason. Keeping he and Higgins in the fold while quarterback Joe Burrow plays out his market-topping extension would be a steep salary cap challenge. Cincinnati’s last Higgins extension efforts came more than one year ago, and offers did not reach the $20MM AAV mark.
For that reason, many expect the Clemson alum to use the 2024 season as a springboard to a free agent departure next spring. Higgins requested a trade in March, but it soon became clear the Bengals would not explore moving him. Based on his comments earlier in the spring, it comes as no surprise team and player now find themselves in a situation which will likely amount to a one-year rental. Cincinnati will, of course, have the option of applying a second franchise tag in 2025.
Higgins will receive $21.82MM this year, and a second tag would cost just over $26MM in 2025. The receiver market experienced another surge this offseason with three players topping the $30MM-per-year mark. A Chase extension will be in that neighborhood, taking away flexibility for a Higgins deal. The latter produced at least 908 yards in each of his first three seasons in the NFL, proving to an effective complement to Chase. Higgins produced career lows across the board in an injury-shortened 2023 campaign, but a bounce-back this year would set him up well on the open market.
The Bengals will have a new third receiver in 2024 given the absence of Tyler Boyd. Regardless of who ends up filling that role, Higgins could see a slight uptick in usage as he attempts to showcase himself to outside suitors. Cincinnati’s offense is on track to have a healthy Burrow, something which will raise expectations for the unit. Higgins’ presence will help the team’s passing game, but signs continue to point to this campaign being his last with the Bengals.