Bengals’ receiver Tee Higgins has had a contradictory offseason as he was unsure about wanting to stay with the team. However, he has now signed his $21.8 million franchise tender, which puts him under contract for the 2024 season. The offseason program has ended, so he was able to miss it without any fines or pressure to attend OTAs.
Typically, the Bengals do not offer multi-year deals to their franchise-tagged players, so this contract is likely just for the 2024 season. Higgins could have waited until just before the regular season to sign his tender and make the full $21.8 million, but that would have left him less prepared for the upcoming season and at risk of being made an unrestricted free agent if the Bengals rescinded the tender.
Although Higgins can still be traded or request a trade, the July 15 deadline for a multi-year deal applies to all teams. If a trade is going to happen or if he’s going to sign a long-term deal with a new team, it needs to occur within the next 30 days. This recent decision by Higgins has brought some clarity to his future with the Bengals.