Former Clemson Tigers Star Wide Receiver Predicted To Cash In As NFL Free Agent

A former Clemson Tigers star has put himself in position to be paid a lot of money as an NFL free agent.

34. Indianapolis Colts: WR Tee Higgins, Clemson It s such a deep draft at receiver that one of the first-round prospects is bound to fall. If that happens, the receiver-needy Colts will be there to pounce. Clemson Vs Ohio State Fiesta Bowl | Ken Ruinard / staff, Ken Ruinard / staff, Greenville News via Imagn Content Services, LLC

There are several former Clemson Tigers football stars who have moved on to the NFL and had great careers.

Along with their incredible production on the field comes some massive paydays once they hit free agency. Most recently, defensive tackles Christian Wilkins and Dexter Lawrence have followed that trend.

Wilkins, who began his career with the Miami Dolphins, agreed to a four-year, $110 million deal with the Las Vegas Raiders when he hit free agency last year, which includes $84.75 million guaranteed.

Lawrence, a first-round pick of the New York Giants in 2019, didn’t hit free agency. He instead opted to sign an extension with the team, agreeing to a four-year deal that added $90 million in new money with $46.5 million guaranteed.

Now, another former Clemson product is hitting the market and will be looking to cash in like his fellow alums did.

Wide receiver Tee Higgins, a second round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals in 2020, has put himself in a position to earn a lot of money this upcoming offseason.

He is coming off a campaign in which he played in only 12 games but still managed to catch 73 passes for 911 yards and a career-high 10 touchdowns as the No. 2 option behind star Ja’Marr Chase.

It is the second consecutive year that he missed five games in the regular season, as Higgins has battled some nagging injuries throughout his career, missing at least one game each campaign since his rookie year.

That likely isn’t going to stop teams from paying him a massive amount of money as he possesses a No. 1 receiver profile, he just hasn’t always been able to showcase it playing behind alongside someone as talented as Chase.

A legitimate bidding war could ensue in free agency as there are several teams who are in need of a No. 1 receiver and a few of those franchises have money to burn.

How big of a contract could the former Tigers star be looking at?

Dan Graziano of ESPN has predicted that Higgins will receive a four-year, $114 million deal that includes $70 million guaranteed. A contract of that size would make him the seventh highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL based on annual average value.

Two players to keep in mind as benchmarks for the Clemson alum is Jaylen Waddle of the Miami Dolphins and DeVonta Smith of the Philadelphia Eagles. Both are in similar positions as capable pass catchers playing behind established No. 1 options.