If Tee Higgins had his way, he wouldn't be scheduled to hit free agency in 2025. That's what he's on track for as the Cincinnati Bengals franchise player for the 2024 season.
Following the five-year contract Jacksonville Jaguars edge defender Josh Allen agreed to Wednesday morning, Higgins is now one of two players to have received the franchise tag this offseason and not sign a long-term deal.
While Higgins is watching his fellow franchise players get paid around the league, all he can do is check out where he's slotted in early free agency rankings. He won't like where he's listed there, either.
Higgins took the 18th spot in The Athletic's top-30 projected free agent rankings for the 2025 offseason. The 25-year old wideout ended up behind the likes of Atlanta Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell (his former Clemson teammate), San Francisco 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw, and fellow franchise player Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield Jr.
Producing the worst season of his young career in 2023 is the main reason why Higgins would be viewed so low at this juncture, but out of all those above him in the rankings, he's one of the more likely players to actually hit free agency next year.
"Coming off a subpar year in 2023 because of various injuries, Higgins is a big-framed target with a very large catch radius and strong hands. He can deceptively eat up a defender’s cushion and is adept at making catches when closely covered. He might be the most likely receiver on this list to hit the open market." - The Athletic's Randy Mueller
Wideouts Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb, and Brandon Aiyuk are all ranked in front of Higgins and are all scheduled to hit the open market with him next offseason, but the odds that any of them become true free agents are extremely slim. Jefferson and Lamb are prime extension candidates this offseason. Aiyuk has been the subject of trade rumors, so he could find a long-term suitor this offseason as well.
If all three are locked in prior to the offseason, Higgins would stand out as the top player at his position. It's just a matter of how his relationship with the Bengals evolves from here.
From the outside looking in, Higgins and Cincinnati are not on the same page. The most likely result of him coming back to Cincinnati in 2025 is the team placing the tag on him again, and that’s far from a given.
The goal for Higgins is simple. Play well enough this year to reaffirm his standing as one of the better receivers in the game, but actually make it to the open market. Cincinnati won't let him leave if they feel he's too valuable to let walk, and they'll only accept a trade offer if it's too good to pass up on.
A monster season from Higgins could materialize such a deal, and motivation from rankings such as these are as good of fuel as any.
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