The best possible compromise between Tee Higgins and the Cincinnati Bengals has finally arrived
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins surprised most of the NFL world Saturday morning by signing his franchise tender.Higgins had the franchise tag placed on him back in February, and despite requesting a trade from the Bengals and performing a holdout during offseason workouts and OTAs, he's now positioned himself to participate in training camp.So, […]
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins surprised most of the NFL world Saturday morning by signing his franchise tender.
Higgins had the franchise tag placed on him back in February, and despite requesting a trade from the Bengals and performing a holdout during offseason workouts and OTAs, he's now positioned himself to participate in training camp.
So, what changed? That's the $21.8 million question.
Why Tee Higgins finally signed his franchise tender
Higgins and his representation, spearheaded by David Mulugheta of Athletes First, remained consistent over the last several months regarding their stance on the 25-year old's future. Higgins wants a long-term deal from the Bengals, and the gap between his price and the Bengals' price remains as wide as the 6'4" receiver's wingspan.
The Bengals wasted zero time placing the tag on Higgins a few months ago, doing so on the very first afternoon of the tag window. Such a hasty decision was made with the knowledge that a long-term deal is extremely unlikely to come about due to the vast separation in negotiations.
Higgins' trade request came a few weeks later as the start of free agency ensued, signaling his clear desire to join his fellow receivers in the lucrative second contract extravaganza taking place all over the league.
But this is the Bengals, a team that despises the idea of trading away its best assets. A trade was always unlikely to go down, especially after Higgins' injury-filled 2023 season.
Once the 2024 NFL Draft came and went, Higgins' leverage to get out of town disappeared with it. The only thing he could do to force the front office's hand was to remain unsigned and stay away from offseason work—the same path former Bengals safety Jessie Bates III went down two years prior.
Bates ended up skipping all of training camp and returned to practice right before the 2022 regular season began. Higgins' decision to sign the tag two full months before Bates did signals skipping camp is not in the cards.
There's a balance players in Higgins' position have to deal with. By practicing with the team in the ramp up to September, you set yourself up to have the best possible season with the promising of signing the largest contract of your career shortly afterwards. The better you play, the more likely you'll get the offers you want from the teams you want, including the team you currently play for.
On the flip side, putting your body on the line for a club that has yet to give you what you want isn't always the most attractive choice. Players suffer injuries in camp every year ranging from minor tweaks to season-ending catastrophes. When putting in work on your own time in your own settings, you at least have a sense of control and ensure full health for when the games begin.
Higgins has chosen the former, otherwise he wouldn't be signing his tender before he absolutely had to in order to take home nearly $22 million this year. The decision comes two days after the Bengals ended mandatory minicamp and summer vacation began. The former second-round pick's timing is notable here.
Those on the outside looking in never truly know what goes on in the minds of players juggling the most important decisions of their careers. Higgins' trade request and absence from offseason work were each calculated in their own way rather than a proverbial middle finger towards his teammates and fans.
Now, his latest decision is the best possible news both the team and city could've hoped for outside of a long-term agreement. It goes both ways.
Higgins will return to the Bengals with the rest of his teammates for the start of training camp, giving the offense a full run-up from late July to early September with all personnel accounted for.
Nothing matters more for a team looking to start a critical year on the right foot.
