Tony Pauline of SportsKeeda has been told that the Bengals are trying to negotiate a long-term extension with WR Tee Higgins.
Several reports have said that the Bengals are expected to franchise Higgins in the near future, but it sounds like Cincinnati is focused for now on an extension.
The franchise tag wouldn’t prevent the Bengals from negotiating a long-term extension in the coming months, but it’s clear that Higgins won’t hit the open market next month.
The deadline for the Bengals to use the tag is March 5, and Cincinnati can negotiate a long-term deal with Higgins until July 15, at which point both sides have to play out the contract.
Higgins, 25, is a former second-round pick by the Bengals in the 2020 NFL Draft out of Clemson. He just finished the final year of a four-year, $8,686,785 rookie contract and made a base salary of $2,993,000 in 2023.
Higgins is set to be an unrestricted free agent in 2024.
In 2023, Higgins appeared in 12 games for the Bengals and recorded 42 receptions on 76 targets for 656 yards receiving and five touchdowns.
We have him included in our Top 100 2024 NFL Free Agents list.
More must-reads: