Tee Higgins won’t see a second of free agency.
That’s because for the second straight year, the Cincinnati Bengals have officially placed the franchise tag on its star wide receiver.
The tag comes at a small price of $26.2 million.
Higgins posted a simple one-word message on X, letting everyone know what the Bengals decided to do.
‘Tag,’ Higgins wrote.
Reports out of Cincinnati are that the tag is just a placeholder, while Higgins and the Bengals work towards a long-term contract extension.
The two-sides reportedly want to get it done, but will need more time to do so.
Placing the tag on Higgins now, gives the Bengals more time to work on a potential extension, while keeping other teams from contacting the wide receiver once free agency begins next week.
NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reported that this was always the Bengals’ intention.
“No surprise, as Cincy is not in the business of letting good players walk away,” Rapoport said.
“They’ll hope to do a long-term deal after the more than $26M tag.”
The Athletic and Bengals beat reporter, Paul Dehner Jr. went into more detail on Cincinnati’s thought process.
“Bengals are tagging Tee Higgins at $26.2M, but the objective remains to get a long-term deal done,” Dehner wrote on X.
“That has not been a secret. Everyone knows the deal. This extends that time frame and keeps him from walking in free agency.
“They’ll keep working.“
Meanwhile, fans reacted to Higgins’ one-word post all with the same idea in mind.
‘Only temporary. Just buying a little more time to get things in order, properly,’ one fan wrote on X.
‘Let’s hope they get the deal done now,’ another fan chimed in.
‘It better be tag and sign long term deal! We want you to stay Tee!!’
The Bengals have a big offseason ahead, along with Higgins, they are also looking to make Ja’Marr Chase the highest paid non-QB in the league and have to decide what to do with star defensive player, Trey Hendrickson.
The Bengals are coming off a year in which they missed the postseason, despite the fact that Joe Burrow had an MVP-caliber season.
They don’t want to make it a habit of wasting Burrow’s prime years.
Once is already one too many.
It’s shaping up to be a huge offseason for Cincinnati and the first domino has officially fallen.
Tag, you’re it Tee.
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