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Tee Higgins will play the 2024 season under the franchise tag with the Cincinnati Bengals, and he was honest about his future prospects with the organziation.
“This could be the last ride for me and the guys,” he told the team’s website. “You never know. Instead of holding out and waiting and just watching from afar, I’d rather be in the mix with the guys and grind it out with them. That’s how I’ve always been.”
Higgins, 25, never got the long-term extension he was seeking from the Bengals this offseason or the trade he reportedly requested. Whether such an extension will ever happen remains to be seen, but with Joe Burrow making huge money and Ja’Marr Chase likely to receive a Justin Jefferson-esque extension at some point, the Bengals may not be able to pay Higgins market value while retaining financial flexibility to fill out the rest of the roster.
If he does hit free agency in 2025, he’ll be one of the top players on the market. While injuries limited him to just 12 games last season, he posted 1,000-yard campaigns in both 2021 and 2022.
The Bengals didn’t want to lose him in 2024 as they seek a Super Bowl title. Higgins shares that short-term goal.
“I had time to reflect and think. I had long talks with my agent. A lot of back and forth about what I wanted to do,” he said. “I just made the decision to sign the tag. At the end of the day, I just wanted to come out here and try to win a Super Bowl. I’m happy with the decision I made. I’m here for the Bengals for the 2024 season. I’m ready to get it done and get with my guys.”