National Football League

Tee Higgins anticipates remaining with Bengals for 2024 season

Published Apr. 15, 2024 11:05 a.m. ET

Tee Higgins reportedly wants out of Cincinnati, but he's preparing to spend his fifth season with the Bengals. Speaking at his youth football camp, the standout wide receiver told reporters that he expects to still be with the team when the 2024 season begins.

"I do anticipate it," Higgins said. "I've grown a love for Cincinnati that I didn't think I would. [I'm] looking forward to it."

While Higgins expects to play for the Bengals in 2024, his future remains unclear. The team placed the franchise tag on him as he was set to become an unrestricted free agent in March. Higgins reportedly requested a trade ahead of the start of the new league year as the two sides failed to make any progress on a long-term deal.

The Bengals and Higgins haven't spoken about a new contract recently, but Cincinnati has no plans to trade the receiver, ESPN recently reported. Higgins is one of only two tagged players this offseason who has yet to sign a new deal, with Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield Jr. being the other. Typically, the deadline for players on the franchise tag to sign a multi-year deal is in July, ahead of the start of training camp.

If the Bengals and Higgins fail to come to terms on a new deal prior to the deadline, the receiver will either have to sign the one-year, $21.816 million franchise tag tender or agree to a reworked one-year deal in order to play in 2024.

The Bengals' decision to play Higgins on the franchise tag and not trade him could signal an all-in approach for the 2024 season. The first season of Joe Burrow's five-year, $275 million contract begins in 2025, while fellow standout receiver Ja'Marr Chase is also extension eligible this season.

With the Bengals already committing big money to Burrow, they might have to pick between Higgins and Chase. If so, Chase might be the better option as he has outproduced Higgins in the three seasons they've been together, recording more receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns in each season.

Still, Higgins has emerged as one of the game's top receivers over the past few years. The 25-year-old recorded at least 65 receptions, 900 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns in each of his first three seasons in the league. Higgins didn't reach that threshold in 2023 as rib and hamstring injuries sidelined him for five games. He ended the year with 42 receptions for 656 yards and five touchdowns.

It's unclear what Higgins' asking price is for his next contract. While the top receivers are making $30 million per year or close to it, Michael Pittman Jr.'s contract could serve as a benchmark for Higgins' next deal. Pittman, who was also a second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, signed a three-year, $70 million deal to remain with the Indianapolis Colts ahead of free agency.