Cincinnati Bengals star wideout Tee Higgins has admittedly been upset about his current contract situation this offseason as he looks to get a long-term deal done with the team. But on Saturday, he made a move that shows that he is committed to the team for at least the upcoming 2024-25 season.
Higgins has been a holdout from Bengals’ mandatory minicamp, which started earlier this week.
While that holdout may continue for at least a little while longer, he will reportedly be back by the time training camp rolls around, as he signed his franchise tag on Saturday.
This is at least somewhat positive for his short-term future with the team. But it very much seems like his long-term future with the team is quite rocky, to say the least.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, who reported on the news. added that an extension between the Bengals and Higgins remains “unlikely”.
While an extension is possible, it would be considered unlikely. By waiting and being patient Tee Higgins has seen the WR market jump considerably and has made himself a lot of money in the future. https://t.co/GxfC2hvYKo
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 15, 2024
It seems like Higgins will essentially be on a deal where he will either need to prove his worth to the Bengals this coming season if he wants to stay in town. Or perhaps prove his worth in the free agency market for next offseason.
This also means that Higgins could very well find himself on the move by the time the trade deadline comes around this coming season. Especially if the Bengals are performing up to expectations.
Regardless, this is at least progress from where things were for Higgins and the Bengals. Just don’t be too hopeful that Higgins will be in Cincinnati for the foreseeable future if you are a fan of the organization.
