The Cincinnati Bengals have just placed the franchise tag on star WR Tee Higgins.
He was expected to be one of the most sought-after free agents in the offseason, so this is far from a surprise.
With that in mind, head coach Zac Taylor expressed just how happy he was to know that he’s going to continue being a part of their offense going forward (via Adam Schefter).
“Tee has done an outstanding job for us since we drafted him in 2020,” Taylor said. “I’m glad that he’ll continue to be a big part of our offense and our team.”
Bengals head coach Zac Taylor on franchise player Tee Higgins. “Tee has done an outstanding job for us since we drafted him in 2020. I’m glad that he’ll continue to be a big part of our offense and our team.”
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 26, 2024
Of course, the Bengals will look to strike a long-term deal with their star wideout, but it will be easier said than done.
They have already spent a big chunk of their salary cap on Joe Burrow’s record-breaking contract extension, and star WR Ja’Marr Chase is also expected to set the bar even higher on the wide receiver market at some point.
The Bengals also have other players they must look to extend right now, thus making it hard for them to keep Higgins.
With that in mind, some speculate that they could still look to trade him to one of the many teams interested in his services, and they could get a second or even a first-round pick in return for the 25-year-old.
Higgins is coming off a solid season despite missing five games, Burrow’s injury, and the fact that he was second in the pecking order behind Chase.
He could legitimately be a first option somewhere else, and he’s also aware of that, so he could look to force his way out of Cincinnati to pursue a bigger opportunity with a team that’s actually able to give him the long-term deal he wants.
NEXT: Insider Reveals What Bengals Could Potentially Get In Tee Higgins Trade