Tuesday evening, Cincinnati Bengals fans had reason to believe that Tee Higgins would be staying put. With uncertainty surrounding the future of the Bengals’ elite wide receiver duo—Higgins’ looming free agency and Ja’Marr Chase’s impending mega-extension—fans clung to the optimistic tone set by Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin.
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins sent out a very cryptic emoji via social media on Tuesday night, the same day his coach, Zac Taylor, spoke about the former's contract situation. As Higgins' contract expires next month,
With the future of the Bengals' vaunted wide receiver corps up in the air between Higgins' free agency and Ja'Marr Chase's upcoming extension, Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin, their de facto general manager, said what everybody wanted to hear Tuesday.
The franchise tag is a placeholder that could be used for one of three reasons: the Bengals are looking to run it back after missing the playoffs in 2024, they want to buy time to hammer out a long-term extension or they’re considering trading Higgins and don’t want to risk losing him for nothing.