The Bengals suffered through a dour 2023 campaign, which came unglued after injuries to quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receiver Tee Higgins.
Cincinnati doesn’t seem too disheartened, though. Burrow’s slated to make a full recovery from wrist surgery, while Ja’Marr Chase, Joe Mixon and Trey Hendrickson look poised to retain their spots as some of the league’s greatest talents at their respective positions.
As for Higgins, who enters the offseason as a free agent? It seems he, too, will be back in burnt orange.
The Bengals are planning to keep Higgins next season via franchise tag, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported. In that case, the 25-year old wide receiver will net a fully-guaranteed $21.8 million in 2024.
Higgins powered through an injury-plagued season, reeling in 42 catches for 656 yards and five touchdowns in 12 games. He ranks as one of the league’s best No. 2 receivers, forming a harrowing partnership with Chase.
Some observers wondered whether Higgins would thrive as a No. 1 option elsewhere. However, the Bengals aren’t interested in letting that possibility come to fruition. The franchise has until mid-July to iron out an agreement on a longer-term deal with the wide receiver. If they don’t, Higgins will spend his 2024 season playing on the one-year tender.
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