Tee Higgins expects to play for the Bengals in 2024

Higgins wanted a trade, but that’s clearly an unlikely outcome.

The Cincinnati Bengals used their franchise tag on Tee Higgins, ensuring he will make almost $22 million on the one-year deal.

Unfortunately, while Higgins should appreciate the payday the Bengals will give him, he clearly wanted a long-term deal that he didn’t get.

That led to him requesting a trade earlier in the offseason, but he knows that the Bengals have little incentive to trade him and all the reason to play the season out and see if they can win a Super Bowl.

The haul the Bengals would get just doesn’t seem as appealing as seeing what they do this season. He anticipates spending the season with Joe Burrow and the Bengals. Here’s how Higgins phrased it at camp.

Since being drafted together with Joe Burrow in 2020, Higgins has made a name for himself as one of the best receivers in the NFL.

Higgins is the No. 2 in Cincinnati but will likely be a top option for an organization within the next few seasons. 2023 was a down season for Higgins, notching just 656 yards and five touchdowns.

The two years prior, he went north of 1,000 yards in each and ended with a total of 13 touchdowns. Higgins is just 25 years old and will be hitting his peak in the near future, one reason he’s looking for a long-term deal.

The Bengals are likely looking toward Burrow and former No. 5 overall pick Ja’Marr Chase as the future of the offense. They may not spend the money to retain Higgins in the long term despite his impact on the offense.

While that deal may still have some hope down the road, it doesn’t seem like either side is set to agree on those terms. For Higgins, showing that top-tier skill and getting a huge payday next season will be his goal in 2024.