According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the expectation leaguewide is that Bengals WR Tee Higgins will depart in free agency this offseason.
Fowler notes the people he’s talked to feel strongly there’s little to no chance Higgins remains in Cincinnati, barring a major surprise. He’s playing out this season on the franchise tag and it would cost the Bengals around $26.2 million to tag him again.
With fellow Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase entering the last year of his contract and needing a new deal, Fowler notes Cincinnati is expected to allow Higgins to leave and allocate resources elsewhere.
Meanwhile, Higgins is set to cash in as the top receiver and possibly the top player on the market.
Higgins, 25, is a former second-round pick by the Bengals in the 2020 NFL Draft out of Clemson. He finished the final year of a four-year, $8,686,785 rookie contract and made a base salary of $2,993,000 in 2023.
He was set to be an unrestricted free agent in 2024 when the Bengals placed the franchise tag on him, which cost the team around $21.8 million fully guaranteed for the 2024 season.
In 2024, Higgins has appeared in five games for the Bengals and recorded 29 receptions on 45 targets for 341 yards receiving and three touchdowns.
We have him included in our Top 100 2025 NFL Free Agents list.
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