Here's Why the Cincinnati Bengals Must Use Franchise Tag on Tee Higgins

The Bengals cannot let Higgins get to free agency.

Dec 28, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) celebrates after making a touchdown pass reception against the Denver Broncos during the second quarter at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images / Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

CINCINNATI — The Bengals must place the franchise tag on Tee Higgins.

That's right. They have to use the tag on Higgins.

The Bengals cannot let him get to free agency. If he does get to free agency, he's gone.

There are way too many teams hoping to land Higgins. The Patriots are expected to offer him $30+ million. The Chargers, Jaguars, Titans and Steelers are all teams that are eyeing Higgins. He will have other dark horse suitors.

I would expect Higgins to get up to $35 million per season.

Why would the rest of the NFL be so in on a guy that missed five games in each of the past two seasons?

It's simple: Higgins is not only the top free agent wide receiver, he's the top free agent period.

Why in the world would the Bengals let the top free agent leave Cincinnati?

Putting the tag on him for a second-straight season is a no-brainer.

They have plenty of cap space and cash to keep Higgins long-term. Of course he'd probably love to be a free agent. The moment the Bengals tag him, they gain a little leverage and can have real contract talks about an extension.

From a negotiating standpoint, things should change pretty drastically after the tag is applied. Higgins is set to become a free agent right now. How many top free agents sign before they get to free agency to see what they're worth on the market?

It's rare. Of course Higgins would love to be a free agent. That doesn't mean he doesn't want to be in Cincinnati. It means he wants to see what his value is on the open market.

Once the tag is applied, negotiating a long-term contract should be a simpler process. Applying the tag should be a big step toward an extension.

It would also give the Bengals and Higgins more time to work out a long-term deal. That's what Joe Burrow wants and that's what Higgins wants.

"You just can't let him get out of the building," Burrow said last month. "He's a one-of-a-kind person, one-of-a-kind player, and one that we really count on and is an integral part of what we do around here. Hopefully we can make that happen."

Letting Higgins get to free agency would be unforgivable. It would be much worse than not getting a long-term deal done with Ja'Marr Chase last offseason. It would be worse than letting Jessie Bates sign with Atlanta two years ago.

Higgins is the top dog of this free agent class. Teams are salivating at the idea of signing him.

The Bengals cannot and should not let that happen.

The franchise tag window opens for two weeks starting on Tuesday, Feb. 18. It lasts until Tuesday, March 4.

Not tagging Tee Higgins at this point would be unforgivable.

The Bengals better tag him (I think they will).

What they do after that is one thing. But unless you have a time machine, the best thing they can do is use the tag on Higgins when the window opens next week. https://t.co/eH2RSh0LrR

— James Rapien (@JamesRapien) February 12, 2025

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