NFL Rumors: Steelers Eyeing Bengals Star Wide Receiver Tee Higgins in Free Agency

Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins is set to become a free agent in March.

If he hits free agency, the Steelers will be one of many teams pushing to sign him.

Pittsburgh based radio host Andrew Fillipponi believes Higgins would get $30+ million per year if he signed with the Steelers.

"Steelers LOVE Tee Higgins," Fillipponi wrote on X. "And would be willing to give him MORE than they were willing to pay Brandon Aiyuk in a trade last summer. Could mean as much as $30 million a year. Stay tuned."

This rumor is entirely believable—especially after Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin praised Higgins last month.

"When we play Shaq, we're going to use our fouls," Tomlin said.

Comparing Higgins to Pro Basketball Hall of Famer and NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal is quite the compliment.

The Bengals could sign Higgins to an extension ahead of free agency. They could also use the franchise tag for a second-straight year to keep him from hitting the open market.

Regardless, Joe Burrow made it pretty clear that he wants Higgins in Cincinnati long-term.

“Tee is a need, yes,” Burrow said last month. "He's very important. It's not even just his production, it's his presence. It's how he comes to work every day, how the defenses have to play us when he's out there. Tee plays such a big part in what we do here and has for five years now.

“I don't think you can quite put a value on that.”

The franchise tag would cost the Bengals just under $27 million this season. It would also give them more time to negotiate a long-term deal with Higgins.

Should the Bengals roll the dice with Higgins and let him hit free agency? I wrote about him earlier this month. Read the article here.