Bengals might be all alone when it comes to the franchise tag, but the end result should be different this time for Tee Higgins
Yesterday's price is not today's price for Tee Higgins, just like yesteryear's franchise tag will not be the same as this year's tag. Per BengalsTalk.com's James Rapien, the Cincinnati Bengals are expected to place the tag on Higgins for the second year in a row. The window for doing so opens Tuesday afternoon at 4:00 […]
Yesterday's price is not today's price for Tee Higgins, just like yesteryear's franchise tag will not be the same as this year's tag.
Per BengalsTalk.com's James Rapien, the Cincinnati Bengals are expected to place the tag on Higgins for the second year in a row. The window for doing so opens Tuesday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. ET and runs through March 4.
But while, per Rapien's reporting, "Higgins' camp expects to get tagged at this point," there's a key difference between this time compared to what happened almost 365 days ago.
Bengals, Tee Higgins remain expected to push for long-term contract
When the Bengals used the tag on Higgins last February, they essentially stopped negotiations with Higgins' former agent, David Mulugheta. The $21.8 million price tag was going to be Higgins' salary for the 2024 season whether he liked it or not since both sides remained far apart in talks. Higgins took it in stride and focused on having the best possible year he could have. He pretty much accomplished that aside from missing a handful of games due to injury.
Basically, there was no hope for Higgins to be signed long-term last year. All of that changed when Higgins swapped Mulugheta for Ja'Marr Chase's agent, Rocky Arceneaux of Alliance Sports, during the season. Higgins' initiative showed he's willing to meet the club halfway on a new contract this offseason when talks start up again.
Those talks will be accelerated due to the timing of the franchise tag window, which expires the Tuesday after next week's NFL Scouting Combine.
The Bengals might not use the $26.2 million tag if they manage to sign Higgins before the deadline passes. NFL Media's Tom Pelissero confirmed Monday that Cincinnati's goal is to lock in Higgins for the future, and there's "hope a franchise tag won't be needed" if both sides can come together before March 4. If not, then the tag will be in play.
The more likely scenario is the tag is placed on Higgins sooner rather than later. Last year, that was a sign of ill will. This time it'd be the opposite.
Higgins was the only franchise player last year to not receive a long-term deal after getting hit with the tag. He watched that group of players. like fellow wideout Michael Pittman of the Indianapolis Colts, end up with financial stability and weight off their shoulders while his representation and the Bengals' front office couldn't bother to hash things out.
The tag is usually a vehicle to spark a new deal. This is what a second tag for Higgins would be used for. They don't want him to play it out for another year, and they don't want to facilitate a tag-and-trade situation like the Green Bay Packers did with Davante Adams a few years ago. They want to put this whole thing to bed nearly two years after everything should've been settled in the first place.
Cincinnati was one of eight clubs to utilize the tag last year. Such company is not expected this time around as Higgins is far and away the most attractive impending free agent in the league.
Doing right by him would mean to give him the contract he's wanted for two years. That's the goal for the Bengals in these next two weeks.
Tee Higgins’ future with the Bengals may revolve around a few important dates within the next month on the NFL calendar
Cincinnati can exclusively negotiate with Higgins for a few more weeks.
