CINCINNATI — What has been trending for months is lastly official.
The Bengals and Tee Higgins didn’t attain a long-term deal forward of Monday’s 4 p.m. ET deadline, leaving the broad receiver to play for Cincinnati on the one-year franchise tag in 2024.
It additionally places Higgins in a singular class. Of the eight NFL gamers who had been designated as franchise gamers in March, Higgins is the one one who didn’t obtain a multiyear deal by Monday’s deadline for gamers who obtained the franchise or transition tag to achieve long-term offers. Two of these gamers had been traded earlier than reaching offers — Brian Burns to the New York Giants and L’Jarius Sneed to the Tennessee Titans.
Higgins is ready to earn $21.8 million this season by way of his franchise tender.
In response to the collective bargaining settlement between the league and the NFL Gamers Affiliation, Higgins won’t be eligible to signal an extension till after the ultimate regular-season sport of the season.
The expiration of Monday’s deadline is the most recent improvement in Higgins’ contract scenario.
The Bengals formally positioned Higgins beneath the franchise tag on Feb. 26. A couple of weeks later and simply earlier than the beginning of free company, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Higgins had requested a commerce from the crew.
Nonetheless, at his youth soccer camp in April, Higgins informed reporters that he supposed to play for the Bengals in 2024. And as soon as Cincinnati wrapped up its offseason exercises, Higgins signed the franchise tag on June 17.
“I am excited to maneuver ahead with Tee,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor mentioned in a press release saying the transaction. “He is performed a terrific job dealing with his scenario, and we’re joyful to get him again within the fold so we will begin working towards a terrific 2024 season.”
A former second-round choose in 2020, Higgins has been a vital a part of Cincinnati’s offense over the previous 4 years. In his first three seasons, Higgins amassed 3,028 receiving yards and 19 touchdowns within the common season. That does not embody his efficiency in Tremendous Bowl LVI in February 2022, when he caught each of Cincinnati’s touchdowns in a 23-20 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
In 2023, accidents hampered Higgins all through the season. A rib damage and a hamstring problem restricted Higgins to a career-low 12 video games. He caught 42 of 77 targets for 656 yards and 5 touchdowns.
ESPN’s Dan Graziano contributed to this report.
