The Cincinnati Bengals, who dealt with multiple injuries on both sides of the ball this season did not live up to expectations in 2023. The Bengals finished the regular season with a 9-8 record, which was only good enough for last place in the AFC North.
One of those injured players throughout the season was star wide receiver Tee Higgins, who just finished the final year of his rookie deal and will now be looking for a contract extension. Higgins missed 6 games this season and only caught 42 balls for 656 yards.
NFL Analyst Believes Cincinnati Bengals Will Extend WR Tee Higgins Contract
While most people believe that he will be franchise tagged by the March 5th deadline, NFL Analyst Tony Pauline has been told that Higgins is looking for more than just one year of guaranteed money.
“Sources close to the Bengals tell me the team is trying to negotiate a contract extension with Higgins to lock him up for the next several years. If the team cannot agree to terms with the wideout before March 5th, they will tag him but continue to negotiate with the hope of signing him long term before the start of the season.”
Despite battling through injuries this season, Higgins has caught 257 passes for 3,684 yards and 24 touchdowns since being drafted with the 33rd pick in 2020. He is one of Joe Burrow’s top options in the passing game and would be difficult to replace if they let him test the waters in free agency.
Higgins is Projected to Make Around $24 million per Season in Next Contract
If both sides cannot agree to terms of a contract extension, Higgins will be franchise tagged and receive around 21.7 million dollars to catch passes for Cincinnati in 2024. Pro Football Focus projects his next contract to be valued around 97 million dollars for 4 years. So, the Bengals will have a decision to make whether they feel Higgins is dispensable.
Higgins, who just turned 25 years old last month is on the radar for a lot of teams who need a top receiver on the outside. If Cincinnati cannot come to a decision on his contract and let him test free agency, expect Higgins to find a home quickly for a hefty price.
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