Steelers Lose Chance at Top Free Agent WR

A potential wide receiver target is no longer expected to become available for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Oct 6, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) runs after making a catch during the second half against the Baltimore Ravens at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images | Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

In an offseason that promises to see plenty of wide receiver-centric transactions, perhaps the biggest fish available appears to be off the board for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the rest of the league.

Bengals On SI's James Rapien has reported that the team plans on using the non-exclusive franchise tag on Tee Higgins for a second-consecutive year.

"Sources say Higgins' camp expects to get tagged at this point," Rapien wrote. "He would be the top free agent if he were to make it to free agency.

"That isn't expected to happen. The Bengals will tag Higgins by the March 4 deadline."

Rapien added that the two parties are expected to try and hammer out a long-term deal before the March 4 deadline rolls around. If nothing comes to fruition on that front, however, than Cincinnati is comfortable using the tag on its 26-year-old star once again.

The tag window will commence on Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET and run through March 4.

Higgins made $21.816 million playing on the tag this past season, and that number will jump to over $26 million in 2025. After not coming to terms on a new contract last offseason, the urgency to get one done this time around feels different.

Should Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract, both remain in Cincinnati alongside Joe Burrow for the foreseeable future, they'd pose quite the roadblock for Pittsburgh in the AFC North.

There had been some thought that the Steelers could be in the running for Higgins' services should he have hit free agency, but those dreams seem all but dead at this point.

Now, Pittsburgh can turn its attention to veterans such as Davante Adams and Cooper Kupp, or address the receiver position during April's NFL Draft.

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