The Cincinnati Bengals have placed their franchise tag on wide receiver Tee Higgins for a second consecutive season after his mother’s brash two-word response to rumors this would go down.
Higgins first announced the move himself on Monday afternoon, posting to his X account with the word ‘tag’ before the Bengals confirmed the placement.
Higgins, 26, has already played out his one year under the franchise tag, which paid him $21.8million in salary. This year’s tag would guarantee him $26.18m – the average of the top five salaries for wide receivers last season.
Since the start of the 2019 season, seven other places have been franchised tagged two years in a row. Six eventually got long-term deals completed.
Last month, Higgins’ mother, Camillia ‘Lady’ Stewart, blasted the team after it was thinking of making this decision, taking to X to call the Bengals ‘selfish b*******’ in a post.
The Bengals now have until July 15 to sign Higgins to a new contract or the tag’s pay will be locked in.
The Cincinnati Bengals have again placed their franchise tag on wide receiver Tee Higgins
Tee Higgins’ mom had furiously reacted to the news that the Bengals could franchise tag him
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He will be able to negotiate with other clubs, but a team that signs him is required to compensate Cincinnati with two first-round draft picks, a steep price, even for someone of Higgins’ caliber.
Higgins’ new contract will have to be negotiated in the backdrop of the team also trying to ink fellow wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase and defensive end Trey Hendrickson to new long-term deals.
Both Chase and Hendrickson are four-time Pro Bowl selections and were first-team All-Pro in 2024.
At the NFL Combine, Bengals de facto general manager Duke Tobin said the team wants to make Chase the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL.
Currently, the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL is Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson, who earns $35million annually.
Higgins has to know his teammates want to get paid long-term as well and has to question where he fits in, after a second-straight franchise tag.
