The Cincinnati Bengals, in recent years, have demonstrated a willingness to invest in outside free agents while prioritizing the retention of their homegrown draft picks. As they approach the offseason, a crucial decision awaits them regarding Tee Higgins, their second-round pick from the 2020 NFL Draft, who is set to become a free agent.
General manager Duke Tobin expresses a strong desire to keep Higgins within the Bengals’ roster, despite the receiver’s recent season marked by injuries that limited his production to career-low figures in catches (42), yards (646), and touchdowns (5) across 12 games.
In the three previous seasons, Higgins had been a consistent performer, averaging 71.7 catches for 1,009 yards and 6.3 touchdowns, operating as the No. 2 option alongside Ja’Marr Chase.
“I want Tee Higgins back,” Tobin stated, emphasizing the team’s unanimous preference for retaining the talented receiver. However, he acknowledged the financial constraints, stating, “There’s a pie and there are things we can do and can’t do because of it. We’ll see.”
Cincinnati finds itself with a considerable cap space of $59.4 million, the fourth-highest in the NFL this offseason, according to Over the Cap. Despite this, the Bengals face the challenge of multiple impending free agents, including D.J.
Reader, Tyler Boyd, Chidobe Awuzie, and Jonah Williams. Additionally, Ja’Marr Chase is eligible for a lucrative contract extension that could potentially make him one of the league’s highest-paid receivers.
The looming cap considerations might present a challenge, and retaining Higgins could be impacted. If financial constraints hinder the retention of either Higgins or Boyd, the Bengals would need to reevaluate their receiving corps around Ja’Marr Chase, potentially seeking multiple complementary targets for quarterback Joe Burrow in the passing game.
In the event that Higgins reaches unrestricted free agency without being franchise-tagged, he is likely to attract significant attention on the open market, given his proven track record as one of the NFL’s top No. 2 wide receivers and the potential to thrive as a strong No. 1 option if given the opportunity.
