Report: Cincinnati Bengals Now Last Team Left to Extend Franchise Tagged Player

Going into today, Tee Higgins of the Cincinnati Bengals and Antoine Winfield Jr. of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were the last franchise-tagged players left to receive a contract extension. Well, the Buccaneers and Winfield took themselves out of this select group. 

How did this happen? The Buccaneers offered Winfield a historic contract. Winfield received a contract that will last for four years and has a maximum value of just over $84 million, and $45 million of that is guaranteed. As a result, he is now the highest-paid defensive back in the NFL. It is the first time a safety holds that honor. 

Tee Higgins Stands Alone 

Thanks to the Winfield extension, Higgins is now the last franchise-tagged player in the NFL left without an extension. This can be interpreted in one of two ways. Either Higgins has a questionable future with the Bengals or there are very tough negotiations going on between the two sides. 

Higgins stands to make about $21.8 million this year. It is fair to wonder whether the Bengals are willing to give that kind of money to their #2 wide receiver for the next several years. 

Will the Cincinnati Bengals Extend Higgins? 

So, will the Bengals extend Tee Higgins? Only time will tell. There is no doubt that it would be an expensive proposition to extend him. This is especially the case now that the Bengals picked up the fifth-year option for WR Ja’Marr Chase in 2025 which is worth nearly $22 million. 

One notable event to happen this offseason is the Bengals letting WR Tyler Boyd walk. Recently, he signed a 1-year deal with the Tennessee Titans worth about $4.5 million. Now, that will be one less veteran wide receiver the Bengals will have to pay moving forward. 

The theory is the Bengals want to run it back one more time with both Higgins and Chase. With QB Joe Burrow participating in practices already after a devastating wrist injury last season, Cincinnati can legitimately be a Super Bowl contender if all three of these players stay healthy. In other words, the Bengals may want to see how 2024 plays out before deciding if they can justify paying both of their top wide receivers.