Bengals franchise WR Tee Higgins said in a recent interview that he expects to be in Cincinnati for the 2024 season, despite his offseason trade request.
“I do anticipate it,” Higgins said, via WXIX-TV. “I’ve grown a love for Cincinnati that I didn’t think I would. [I’m] looking forward to it.”
Higgins is clearly unhappy that the Bengals have not had any talks with him about a long-term contract extension since March 2023.
Cincinnati is, admittedly, in a tricky spot with Ja’Mar Chase also inline for a big-money extension.
Higgins, 25, is a former second-round pick by the Bengals in the 2020 NFL Draft out of Clemson. He just 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 will cost the team around $21.8 million fully guaranteed for the 2024 season.
In 2023, Higgins appeared in 12 games for the Bengals and recorded 42 receptions on 76 targets for 656 yards receiving and five touchdowns.
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With the franchise tag, Higgins is about the 7th highest paid WR – only Diggs, Hill, Adams, Ridley, Pittman & maybe Krupp have a true APY more; Metcalf, Samuel, AJ Brown, McLaurin do not.