Bengals’ Tee Higgins to play on tag in 2024 as deadline passes

CINCINNATI — What has been trending for months is lastly official.

The Bengals and Tee Higgins didn’t attain a long-term deal forward of Monday’s 4 p.m. ET deadline, leaving the vast receiver to play for Cincinnati on the one-year franchise tag in 2024.

It additionally places Higgins in a novel class. Of the eight NFL gamers who have been designated as franchise gamers in March, Higgins is the one one who didn’t obtain a multiyear deal by Monday’s deadline for gamers who acquired the franchise or transition tag to achieve long-term offers. Two of these gamers have been traded earlier than reaching offers — Brian Burns to the New York Giants and L’Jarius Sneed to the Tennessee Titans.

Higgins is ready to earn $21.8 million this season through his franchise tender.

In response to the collective bargaining settlement between the league and the NFL Gamers Affiliation, Higgins is not going to be eligible to signal an extension till after the ultimate regular-season recreation of the season.

The expiration of Monday’s deadline is the newest growth in Higgins’ contract state of affairs.

The Bengals formally positioned Higgins beneath the franchise tag on Feb. 26. A number of weeks later and simply earlier than the beginning of free company, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Higgins had requested a commerce from the crew.

Nonetheless, at his youth soccer camp in April, Higgins instructed reporters that he meant to play for the Bengals in 2024. And as soon as Cincinnati wrapped up its offseason exercises, Higgins signed the franchise tag on June 17.

“I am excited to maneuver ahead with Tee,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor stated in a press release asserting the transaction. “He is completed an incredible job dealing with his state of affairs, and we’re joyful to get him again within the fold so we are able to begin working towards an incredible 2024 season.”

A former second-round decide in 2020, Higgins has been an important a part of Cincinnati’s offense over the previous 4 years. In his first three seasons, Higgins amassed 3,028 receiving yards and 19 touchdowns within the common season. That does not embrace his efficiency in Tremendous Bowl LVI in February 2022, when he caught each of Cincinnati’s touchdowns in a 23-20 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

In 2023, accidents hampered Higgins all through the season. A rib damage and a hamstring situation restricted Higgins to a career-low 12 video games. He caught 42 of 77 targets for 656 yards and 5 touchdowns.

ESPN’s Dan Graziano contributed to this report.