On Friday, news broke that the Cincinnati Bengals had decided to use its franchise tag on star wide receiver Tee Higgins to keep him locked into Cincinnati for the 2024 NFL season. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that he will ultimately be playing for the Bengals this season.
NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported on Friday that the Cincinnati Bengals were using a franchise tag on him this offseason.
“Source: The #Bengals informed star WR Tee Higgins that they are franchising him,” Rapoport said in a post on X, the social media website formerly known as Twitter.
The franchise tag number is expected to be around $21.8M, fully guaranteed, for the #Bengals and Tee Higgins. The first tagged player of this window. https://t.co/dsoQEeThv5
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 24, 2024
“The franchise tag number is expected to be around $21.8M, fully guaranteed, for the #Bengals and Tee Higgins. The first tagged player of this window,” Rapoport said in a follow-up post.
But even though the Bengals used their franchise tag on Higgins, many fans seem to think that the team will still look to trade him before the start of the 2024 NFL season in a sign-and-trade sort of deal.
Trading Tee Higgins for picks is fine on paper I just have concerns about them hitting those picks.
The 2021 Draft was the most worrying one by far. 5 picks in rounds 2-4 and got 0 starters out of it. Have to start finding real talent on day 2/early day 3.
— Blake Jewell (@BlakeJewellNFL) February 24, 2024
Trading Tee Higgins is the best outcome now.
— Goodberry (@JoeGoodberry) February 24, 2024
I wonder if the Bengals try to trade Tee Higgins now. Getting him out of the AFC North would obviously be ideal.
— Nick Pedone (@NickPedone12) February 24, 2024
First step. Now will Tee Higgins be on the 2024 Bengals roster at $21.8 million? Will they trade? Or will they run it back one more year? Still many, many questions remain. https://t.co/NbK9oiMk3Q
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) February 24, 2024
The surprise is not that the Bengals are franchising Tee Higgins, what they do next with he and or his contractual rights will be interesting? Can’t help but think the increased salary cap numbers made this a no-brainer. There are several levels to this thinking.
— Randy Mueller (@RandyMueller_) February 24, 2024
Woke up feeling like the timing on the Tee Higgins franchise tag is quite suspect.
— Willie Lutz (@willie_lutz) February 24, 2024
Even if Higgins does remain with the Bengals for the 2024 NFL season, his long-term future with the team is very much in question after this year. We’ll have to see what Cincinnati chooses to do.
