Tee Higgins

New York Jets star cornerback Sauce Gardner isn't planning on recruiting Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins ahead of his impending free agency.

"PAY THE MAN," Gardner commented under an Instagram post from Higgins on Sunday, as the wideout is set to become a free agent at the end of the season.

When a fan asked him to attempt to sway the Bengals receiver to come to New York, he declined.

Gardner later clarified on his Instagram story that he made the comments about Higgins' free agency because he believes that there is "no chance of it happening," as New York already has Davante Adams and Garrett Wilson.

The two-time Pro Bowl corner, who spent his college career at Cincinnati, previously advocated for the Jets to sign Higgins following the 2023 season.

The 25-year-old eventually received the franchise tag from the Bengals, though.

New York has its own wide receiver situation to deal with, as the future is uncertain for the team's current duo of Adams and Wilson.

Adams is under contract next season but his deal must be renegotiated due to a prohibitive base salary of a non-guaranteed $35.6 million (h/t ESPN's Rich Cimini). If his contract isn't restructured, the six-time Pro Bowl receiver will be released.

Wilson, the 2022 Offensive Rookie of the Year, will be eligible for an extension once the regular season comes to a close. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported on Sunday that Wilson has been "frustrated at the lack of looks" he's generated from Aaron Rodgers, clouding his long-term outlook with the team.

Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has expressed optimism that Higgins will re-sign with Cincinnati during the offseason.

"Those discussions are ongoing," Burrow said on Dec. 9, per ESPN's Ben Baby. "I'm confident that I think we're going to do what it takes to bring Tee back. I know that I'm going to do what it takes to get him back and so is he. We've had those talks. Those are going to be offseason discussions. But I think we're excited about that opportunity."

The former second-round pick has put together an impressive 2024 campaign, hauling in 69 receptions for 858 yards and a career-high 10 touchdowns in 11 games.

Higgins should receive interest from multiple teams once he hits free agency, but don't expect Gardner to be part of the recruiting effort.

Cincinnati Bengals star Ja'Marr Chase was impressed with wide receiver Tee Higgins' performance against the Denver Broncos in what may have been his final home game with the team.

"If that was his last game in this stadium, he went out with a bang," Chase said, per SI.com's Jay Morrison. "But that's a big if."

Higgins finished with 11 catches for 131 yards and three touchdowns during the Bengals' 30-24 victory over the Denver Broncos, which included the game-winning score in overtime.

The 25-year-old is currently slated to become an unrestricted free agent in 2025.

Extension negotiations between both sides previously fell apart, as Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer reported that the Bengals' offer to Higgins "never approached" the range of roughly $20 million per year.

Still, the former second-round pick has discussed his desire to remain with the team.

Higgins said that he "would love" to stay in Cincinnati but acknowledged "this business is crazy" when speaking to TMZ Sports on Dec. 19.

Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has also campaigned for the team to re-sign the receiver.

"Those discussions are ongoing," Burrow said after a 27-20 win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 14, via NFL.com's Kevin Patra. "I'm confident we are going to be able to do what it takes to bring Tee back. I know that I am going to do what it takes to get him back. So he can have those talks; those are going to be offseason discussions. I think we are excited about that opportunity."

Entering Saturday's action, Higgins hauled in 58 receptions for 727 yards and seven touchdowns. He surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in two of the first four seasons of his career.

Higgins recently switched his representation to NFL agent Rocky Arceneaux, who also boasts Chase as one of his clients. Chase is searching for an extension of his own after he was unable to reach an agreement with Cincinnati before the start of the regular season.

While Higgins may have played his last game as a Bengal at Paycor Stadium, he put together another strong performance in front of the home crowd.

Pick a superhero, any superhero.

And it probably describes Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow.

Burrow threw an unbelievable touchdown pass to Tee Higgins during the team's 24-6 victory over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday where he somehow managed to avoid hitting the ground before releasing the throw.

"Motherf--ker looked like Superman when he was throwing it," Higgins told reporters. "I'm calling him Superman from this day forward. F--k Batman, Superman."

It's hard to argue with the notion, as Burrow was excellent once again for the Bengals while going 23-of-30 for 252 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions. He entered play leading the league in passing yards and has done all he can to keep his team in the playoff race despite a suspect defense.

Cincinnati is still alive in that AFC race and improved to 7-8 with a third straight win. It will have to win out with victories over the Denver Broncos and Pittsburgh Steelers all while getting some help elsewhere, but that is a better position than most likely expected when it started 4-8.

And Burrow is largely to thank for it.

As Joe Burrow continues to publicly advocate for the Cincinnati Bengals to keep Tee Higgins, the star receiver is certainly open to remaining with the club beyond this season.

Speaking to TMZ Sports (starts at :30 mark), Higgins said he "would love" to stay with the Bengals but acknowledged "this business is crazy" and he will keep his options open.

It has been assumed that Higgins would sign with another team as a free agent after this season. When he was negotiating with the Bengals last offseason, Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer reported their offer "never approached" $20 million per season.

As this season has drawn closer to a conclusion, Burrow has made a point of advocating for the Bengals to keep Higgins.

"Those discussions are ongoing," Burrow said after Cincinnati's 27-20 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Dec. 9. "I'm confident that I think we're going to do what it takes to bring Tee back. ... I know that I'm going to do what it takes to get him back and so is he. We've had those talks. Those are going to be offseason discussions. But I think we're excited about that opportunity."

The situation is complicated because the Bengals also have to get a deal done with Ja'Marr Chase. He was extension-eligible last offseason and were reportedly close to an agreement before talks fell apart over some of the finer details of the contract.

Burrow is already tied for the second-highest paid quarterback in the NFL at $55 million per season. Chase and Higgins could reasonably be expected to get a combined $55-60 million per season on their next contracts.

That's a lot of money tied up into three players for a Bengals team that has a lot of roster problems, particularly on defense, to fix in the offseason. They are allowing the second-most points per game in the NFL this season.

Another problem is Bengals owner Mike Brown has a reputation for being frugal when it comes to spending money.

Whether he stays with the Bengals or signs with another team, it's safe to assume that Higgins will get a lucrative contract. He has 669 yards and six touchdowns in nine games this season.

The Cincinnati Bengals will have an easy contact point for working out potential new deals with wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.

Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer reported that Higgins had hired NFL agent Rocky Acreneaux to represent him on his next contract. Arceneaux is notably Chase's agent as well.

Higgins is eligible for unrestricted free agency following the 2024 season while Higgins will play on his fifth-year option in 2025 and can hit the open market in 2026.

This news comes after Higgins parted ways with his former agent, David Mulugheta. Arceneaux is an agent with the Alliance Management Group, who's clients include Chase, Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams and Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott.

Higgins, who is making $21.8 million in 2024 under the franchise tag, has 45 catches for 581 yards and five touchdowns in eight games for the Bengals. He has exceeded 1,000 receiving yards twice in his career and is an excellent piece alongside Chase in the offense.

Still, Chase is the clear No. 1 receiver and will be paid very well when his time comes. Quarterback Joe Burrow also has an expensive contract so the Bengals will need to evaluate just how much they are willing to pay to Higgins to keep the team in a competitive state.

However, hiring Chase's agent should make negotiations easier for both sides and open the possibility for long-term stability for both players.

Joe Burrow is running a full-court press to make sure the Cincinnati Bengals are aware he wants Tee Higgins to remain on the team beyond this season.

Asked if there would be disappointment within the team if Higgins isn't back in 2025, Burrow said he would "be very disappointment in that" and called the star receiver a player they "need" going forward.

This is the second time this week Burrow has made a point of saying publicly he wants to see Higgins remain in Cincinnati. After Monday's win over the Dallas Cowboys, he brought up Higgins' contract without being asked.

"I'm confident we are going to be able to do what it takes to bring Tee [Higgins] back," Burrow said. "I know that I am going to do what it takes to get him back. So, he can have those talks; those are going to be offseason discussions. I think we are excited about that opportunity."

The Bengals are entering an offseason full of questions, many of which start with their top two receivers. They were unable to get a long-term deal done with Ja'Marr Chase before the start of this season.

Per James Rapien of SI.com, talks between Chase and the Bengals broke down over guaranteed money and injury protections in the contract.

This has always felt like the final season for Higgins in Cincinnati. He is playing on the franchise tag after the Bengals offered him a deal that was reportedly worth less than $20 million per season.

Given all of the issues Cincinnati has on defense, there is a justification for not spending big money for two wide receivers. But the history of the Bengals franchise under Mike Brown's ownership has been one in which they don't tend to pay top-of-the-market money for superstars.

Burrow got his extension when he signed a five-year, $275 million deal in September 2023, but the team has been trending in the wrong direction over the past two seasons.

The Bengals' struggles last season could be attributed to Burrow missing the final seven games due to a wrist injury, but he has been healthy throughout the 2024 campaign and is playing arguably the best football of his career.

Higgins has spent his entire career with the Bengals after being selected in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft. He had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2021 and 2022.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins and his agent, David Mulugheta, have parted ways, according to Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer.

"They are no longer working together," Conway wrote. "Higgins is currently playing on the franchise tag and will be seeking a long-term deal in the offseason."

The news comes after ESPN's Dan Graziano reported that Higgins was considering an agent change. He made those remarks amid quarterback Joe Burrow's recently stated confidence that the team could bring the franchise-tagged wideout and impending free agent back into the fold.

"There are rumblings that Higgins is pondering an agent change (he's no longer listed with his previous agent on the official NFLPA site, but he's also not yet listed with a new one), which sometimes indicates a change in the player's negotiating stance. And Burrow's confidence shouldn't be ignored completely, as he's not the type to just say things like that off the cuff. I don't know how this shakes out. I still think it makes more sense for the Bengals to pay Chase, even if that means letting Higgins walk. But the longer it goes without a new deal for Chase, the more expensive the price tag gets."

Higgins, a fifth-year wideout, has caught 45 passes for 581 yards and five touchdowns in eight games this season.

After the Bengals' 27-20 road win over the Dallas Cowboys on Monday, Burrow said he was confident the team would do what it takes to bring Higgins back.

"Those discussions are ongoing," Burrow said, per ESPN's Ben Baby. "I'm confident that I think we're going to do what it takes to bring Tee back."

He also added: "I know that I'm going to do what it takes to get him back and so is he. We've had those talks. Those are going to be offseason discussions. But I think we're excited about that opportunity."

So it's clear that the superstar franchise quarterback wants Higgins to return. But Higgins is going to get paid whenever he hits the open market. He currently has a market value of $18.8 million over five seasons, per Spotrac.

Despite being a WR2 alongside superstar Ja'Marr Chase, Higgins has 302 receptions for 4,265 yards and 29 touchdowns in his first 66 career games.

Higgins does have a history of injuries that have unfortunately sidelined him at times this year. He missed the team's first two games with a hamstring ailment before sitting three more with a quad injury. But he's never had a long-term ailment and is on pace to play at least 12 games in each of his first five seasons.

Burrow obviously wants him back, and that could perhaps influence the Bengals in opening the bank for him to do so. But Cincinnati also has to pay Chase, who has one year remaining left on his rookie deal after this season. He'll assuredly reset the wideout market and then some after a phenomenal year, and the Bengals also have work to do to fix a defense that's allowed the fourth-most points per game in football.

So we'll see soon enough if something gets done in Cincinnati, but Higgins will be highly sought after regardless. Until then, the Bengals look to keep their playoff hopes alive Sunday when they visit the Tennessee Titans.