Titans Lose Shot at Top Free Agent

The Tennessee Titans appear to have struck out on the top free agent wide receiver.

Jeremy Brener | Feb 17, 2025

Dec 28, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) catches a touchdown as Denver Broncos cornerback Riley Moss (21) defends during the fourth quarter at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images / Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

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Tennessee Titans

The Tennessee Titans are a few weeks away from the official start of free agency, but they are already coming up short on one of the top free agents on the market.

According to Cincinnati Bengals on SI reporter James Rapien, the Bengals plan on using the franchise tag on wide receiver Tee Higgins, keeping him with Cincinnati.

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

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

The Titans were linked to Higgins for a few reasons. The Titans need a receiver, and Higgins is one of, if not the best, on the market this year. On top of that, he has played under Titans head coach Brian Callahan while he was the Bengals offensive coordinator from 2020-23. And if that wasn't enough, signing with the Titans would mean a homecoming for Higgins, a native of Oak Ridge, a suburb of Knoxville.

This doesn't mean Higgins won't ever play for the Titans, but a franchise tag knocks out that possibility for the 2025 season.

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Published Feb 17, 2025|Modified Feb 17, 2025

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several On SI sites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid and resides in Central Florida. He graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.