Tee Higgins

After skipping OTAs and mandatory minicamp while holding out for a long-term contract, Tee Higgins signed his one-year franchise tender with the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday.

ESPN's Adam Schefter previously reported on Saturday that Higgins was planning on signing the franchise tag.

The agreement comes after Higgins reportedly requested a trade early in the offseason. His one-year contract will pay him $21.8 million for the 2024 season.

The Bengals used the tag on Higgins on Feb. 26 to keep him from becoming an unrestricted free agent.

Even though the move extended Cincinnati's window to negotiate a long-term deal, there is no indication those talks have occurred. ESPN's Ben Baby reported in May the last time the two sides discussed an extension was more than one year ago.

Per Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer, the reason there haven't been talks is because the Bengals' initial offer "never approached" $20 million annually and wasn't close enough to what he was seeking for Higgins' camp to discuss the guaranteed money in a potential deal.

Despite the trade request and no indication a long-term deal was close, Higgins told reporters in April he did "anticipate" playing for the Bengals in 2024.

If the Bengals weren't going to engage Higgins in talks for a deal to his liking in March and April, things only got harder for them when other receivers started signing contracts this offseason.

Eight different receivers have signed new deals worth at least $23 million per season since the start of free agency on March 13. The group includes three extensions worth at least $30 million annually, including Justin Jefferson becoming the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.

Even with a $21.8 million salary on the tag in 2024, Higgins is only the 16th-highest-paid receiver in the league. That ranking could go down if players like Brandon Aiyuk and CeeDee Lamb sign extensions before the start of the regular season.

It's not surprising that the Bengals have opted not to give a long-term deal to Higgins, at least so far.

Joe Burrow signed a five-year, $275 million extension prior to the start of last season. Ja'Marr Chase is eligible for a long-term extension right now, but he still has two years remaining on his rookie deal and could wait to sign a new contract next offseason.

As good as Higgins has been, the Bengals would seem likely to prioritize Chase because he's been Burrow's favorite target over the past three seasons.

Higgins posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2021 and 2022. He had a career-low 656 receiving yards last season, but that was due in part to injuries that limited him to 12 games.

Signing the franchise tender will now allow Higgins to join the Bengals when training camp begins, putting him in a position to have a big season in 2024 and cash in with the long-term deal he is seeking next offseason.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins, who requested a trade in March after being franchise-tagged, made a cryptic Instagram post that might have been referencing his current situation: "I tell em no, they can't wait to call me selfish…"

The IG post featured pictures of Higgins working out as well as him out at night.

In March, Cincinnati placed the franchise tag on Higgins, who has played all four of his seasons with the Bengals. The two sides still have until July 15 to reach a long-term agreement. Failing that, Higgins would have to play in Cincinnati on the tag, which is essentially a one-year deal worth $21.816 million.

Higgins has caught 257 passes for 3,684 yards and 24 touchdowns over his four NFL seasons. That stretch includes two 1,000-yard campaigns. He finished with 42 catches for 656 yards and five scores last season, as he missed five games due to injury.

The former Clemson star played an instrumental role in guiding the Bengals to an AFC title in 2021. He fared quite well in the playoffs, amassing 17 receptions for 299 yards and two touchdowns in his final three games. That included four catches for 100 yards and two touchdowns in the Super Bowl against the Los Angeles Rams.

Higgins and the Bengals are at an impasse on a new deal, but it's abundantly clear how much he means to this team. Losing him would be a tremendous blow to the Bengals, who have created a great big three with quarterback Joe Burrow, wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase and Higgins.

For now, it appears that the Bengals will have Higgins for at least one more season. Back in April, Higgins notably praised Cincinnati and said he thought he'd be playing with the team this year. But his future in 2025 and beyond is a giant question mark.

Another NFL wide receiver earned a massive contract on Thursday, but many were surprised to see who it was this time.

Miami Dolphins wideout Jaylen Waddle agreed to a three-year, $84.75 million contract extension that includes $76 million guaranteed, which makes him one of the NFL's top five highest-paid receivers, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

While Waddle is a special talent, there is a slew of top-flight receivers who are expected to land contract extensions from their respective teams this offseason including Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb, Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Brandon Aiyuk.

Waddle joins Amon-Ra St. Brown, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Nico Collins and a long list of other receivers who have already locked up extensions over the past few months. However, his deal raises more questions about the delays for the other wideouts awaiting their paydays.

Jefferson, Lamb, Chase, Higgins and Aiyuk were all subjected to the wrath of fans on social media who couldn't help but troll them in the wake of Waddle's contract extension:

It's clear that the wideouts are all waiting to see who sets the market so they can exceed it, but the clock is ticking. Many of them have skipped the start of voluntary team workouts while they wait for their deals, and they would risk being fined if they skipped their respective teams' mandatory minicamps.

In some cases, there has been minimal progress on contract discussions. Higgins reportedly hasn't had negotiations with the Cincinnati Bengals in over a year. Lamb and the Dallas Cowboys reportedly also haven't spoken in quite some time.

The market is booming for wide receivers, so Jefferson, Lamb, Chase, Higgins and Aiyuk likely will not budge until they receive an offer that breaks the bank.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins remains the subject of trade speculation as he has yet to sign his franchise tender, but if he had it his way, he wouldn't be going anywhere this offseason.

While ESPN's Ben Baby reported on Wednesday that Higgins and the Bengals "haven't had negotiations for a new contract in more than a year," Higgins said on the I AM ATHLETE podcast that he would be open to continuing his career with the franchise that drafted him with a second-round pick in 2020.

"As far as me coming back, I would love to come back," Higgins said around the 2:35 mark (h/t James Rapien of Sports Illustrated). "I grew as a man in the past four years here. Grew as a player, got good new friendships. Great relationships with people not in the facility, in the City of Cincinnati, the fans are great. So I would definitely love to be here."

The Bengals placed their franchise tag on Higgins, which would guarantee him $21.8 million for the 2024 season. The 25-year-old made it clear that he was not happy with his contract and requested to be traded from Cincinnati, but he later backtracked and said he intends to play for the Bengals this season.

Baby noted that Higgins is the only player who was franchise-tagged this offseason and has yet to receive a long-term deal. Higgins skipped the start of OTAs in Cincinnati, as did star receiver Ja'Marr Chase, who is also awaiting a contract extension.

Higgins recorded back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2021 and 2022, but he was limited to 656 yards and five touchdowns after appearing in 12 games last season. He would've still been a coveted trade piece this offseason, but the Bengals showed no indications that they were open to dealing him to another team.

Higgins added that while he would prefer to stay put in Cincinnati, he understands the nature of the business and that things may not go his way.

"It would be bittersweet. ... I would definitely love to be here [in Cincinnati], but if that's not the situation, then that's not the situation," he said.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins has yet to receive the long-term contract he's been hoping for, and it sounds like it won't be happening anytime soon.

According to ESPN's Ben Baby, Higgins and the Bengals "haven't had negotiations for a new contract in more than a year."

After receiving the franchise tag earlier this offseason, Higgins requested to be traded from Cincinnati. However, the 2020 second-round pick later said he intends to play for the Bengals in 2024. He skipped the start of the team's voluntary workouts, as did star receiver Ja'Marr Chase, who is also waiting to receive a new deal.

Baby pointed out that Higgins is the only player who has yet to receive a long-term deal after being franchise-tagged this offseason. Also, Higgins has yet to sign the franchise tender, which is worth $21.8 million.

The 25-year-old was limited to 12 games last season and posted 42 catches for 656 yards and five touchdowns. Prior to 2023, he recorded back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns, but it doesn't seem like the Bengals are motivated to lock him up with an extension.

Baby noted that Cincinnati used the franchise tag on three players in the last 10 years, and none of them signed a long-term contract with the team. He wrote that things are "certainly trending that way" for Higgins this year.

As the Cincinnati Bengals begin organized team activities Tuesday, they will do so without Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.

ESPN's Adam Schefter noted the Bengals' star receiver duo was not present on the first day of voluntary OTAs as both players seek new contracts.

Higgins' contract situation has been well-documented this offseason. The Bengals used the franchise tag, which will guarantee him $21.8 million, to keep him from becoming a free agent.

Given how quickly Cincinnati applied the tag—it was announced on Feb. 26, well ahead of the March 5 deadline to do so—it seemed to suggest the two sides weren't close to a long-term deal.

Per Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer, one recent offer from the Bengals "never approached" $20 million per season, and it was so low that Higgins' representatives didn't bother to discuss guaranteed money with the club.

Higgins has requested a trade from the Bengals but also acknowledged he anticipates playing for the team in 2024 before becoming a free agent next offseason.

Conway reported on April 29 that Higgins was seeking a deal similar to the three-year, $70 million contract Michael Pittman Jr. signed with the Indianapolis Colts this offseason.

Chase's deal comes with less urgency because he has two years remaining on his rookie contract. This offseason is the first time he's eligible to sign a long-term extension.

One potential complicating factor for the Bengals is Chase has suggested he wants to wait until after Justin Jefferson signs his next contract.

Schefter said last week on SportsCenter that whenever Jefferson eventually signs a new deal with the Minnesota Vikings, it will make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL.

San Francisco 49ers star Nick Bosa is currently the highest-paid non-quarterback after signing a five-year, $170 million extension last September.

Considering this is only the voluntary portion of the offseason activities, the Bengals don't have to be overly concerned that neither player is participating.

The next big event on the offseason calendar for the Bengals is mandatory minicamp from June 11-13. If Chase decides to skip that, then there might be the possibility of a holdout by the time training camp starts in July.

Higgins' situation is a little more complicated because he hasn't signed the franchise tender. The Bengals could receive a trade offer between now and the start of the season that's too good to pass up.

In their first two seasons as teammates in 2021 and 2022, Chase and Higgins both surpassed the 1,000-yard mark and combined for 35 touchdown receptions.

Injuries limited Higgins to 12 games last season, but he still averaged a career-high 15.6 yards per reception. Chase led the Bengals with 1,216 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.