Steelers likely to continue playing Bengals' Tee Higgins in 2024 following franchise tag report
Part of the reason Joe Burrow has had success in the NFL is thanks to the plethora of talent at his disposal. Boasting arguably the league's best WR corps, there was thought that the Cincinnati Bengals may lose one of their top options on the perimeter. But per Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic, Higgins […]
Part of the reason Joe Burrow has had success in the NFL is thanks to the plethora of talent at his disposal.
Boasting arguably the league's best WR corps, there was thought that the Cincinnati Bengals may lose one of their top options on the perimeter.
But per Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic, Higgins won't be going anywhere this year, foreshadowing future battles with the Pittsburgh Steelers:
Tee Higgins Expected to Be Franchise Tagged
Joe Burrow said he expects Tee Higgins back. Higgins’ contract is up and, for the first time, the 25-year-old is a free agent. There’s a desire throughout the building for the star receiver and his dynamic combo partnership with Ja’Marr Chase to continue in Cincinnati for at least one more year.
The writing is on the wall and all expectations are the Bengals will use a franchise tag on Higgins. -Paul Dehner Jr., The Athletic
Now, this comes as no surprise to those who cover the team, with John Sheeran of A to Z Sports Cincinnati hypothesizing that Higgins would stick around in Cincy just yesterday:
The actual question lies in what happens along with the tag. Do the Bengals find a trade partner to commit a very non-Bengals move in sending off one of their best players for a draft pick(s)? Does something equally unlikely happen in the form of both sides agreeing on a new contract? The safe bet is he gets the tag and nothing else happens. –John Sheeran, A to Z Sports Cincinnati
But the news creates more of a headache for Pittsburgh, who, while highly unlikely to be in on adding Higgins via free agency, were certainly hoping the rumors of Higgins following his play caller to Nashville were true.
That's because in only six career games against Pittsburgh, Higgins has accumulated 32 catches for 572 yards and three scores, averaging nearly 100 receiving yards per game against the Steelers.
So if Joe Burrow is healthy, look for him, Higgins, and Chase to go all in in 2024, making the best division in football that much better.
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