NFL

Tee Higgins’ Future in Cincinnati Takes a Mysterious Turn

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By
Colin Lynch
Author photo
Colin Lynch Sports Editor

Colin Lynch covers the NFL, MLB and WNBA for Heavy.com, with a focus on the New England Patriots. His sports coverage has been featured on The Sports Daily and Basketball Insiders, as well as FanSided's Chowder & Champions. A New Hampshire native and former D1 baseball player at St. John's University, Colin was drafted by the San Diego Padres in 2008 and enjoyed a four-year professional baseball career.

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Published26 Feb 2025

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Tee Higgins’ Future in Cincinnati Takes a Mysterious Turn

For a few hours Tuesday evening, Cincinnati Bengals fans had reason to believe that Tee Higgins would be staying put.

With uncertainty surrounding the future of the Bengals’ elite wide receiver duo—Higgins’ looming free agency and Ja’Marr Chase’s impending mega-extension—fans clung to the optimistic tone set by Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin.

Tobin, effectively the team’s general manager, said exactly what the fanbase wanted to hear:

“I think Tee Higgins is a fantastic football player, and I want him on my football team. Whenever I’m in charge of a football team, I want Tee Higgins, and so I’m going to do what I can to get Tee Higgins.”

“Our preference with Tee Higgins is to do a long-term agreement. Always has been, it continues to be, and we’ll work hard to get that done. I’m optimistic until there’s reason not to be, and I’ve always been optimistic with Tee.”

On Chase, there was no ambiguity. Tobin stated the Bengals would make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL—a massive but expected commitment to their franchise receiver.

On Higgins, the message was clear: The Bengals want him back and believe a deal can be reached.

For a moment, optimism reigned in Cincinnati.

Then, Higgins tweeted a single emoji late Tuesday night: 🧢.

Translation? “Someone is lying.”

The Reality of Keeping Both Chase and Higgins

Tobin said he was comfortable with where the Bengals are financially, but securing long-term deals for two elite wide receivers—while maintaining flexibility to build a championship-caliber roster—has always been an uphill battle.

Higgins, ranked as Yahoo Sports’ No. 1 free agent this offseason, is positioned to cash in as a true No. 1 receiver if he hits the open market. The 26-year-old has amassed 4,595 receiving yards and 34 touchdowns over five seasons, and players with his size, skill set, and production rarely become available.

Teams in need of a top target will be willing to pay well into the nine-figure range to secure his services.

The problem for Cincinnati? Ja’Marr Chase is due even more.

The former fifth overall pick has already solidified himself as arguably the NFL’s best wide receiver, and at just 24 years old, he’s about to reset the wide receiver market. A deal north of $30 million per year isn’t just expected—it’s inevitable.

The Bengals knew this moment was coming from the day Chase emerged as a superstar in his rookie year. The question has never been if they would pay Chase—it’s been whether they could afford to pay Higgins, too.

What’s Next for Higgins and the Bengals?

Higgins’ tweet suggests that talks are not progressing the way Tobin indicated. Whether that means a gap in negotiations, frustration with the process, or an impending departure remains to be seen.

The Bengals still have the franchise tag as an option, which would keep Higgins in Cincinnati for another season at a projected $21.8 million. That would buy them time to work out a long-term deal or explore trade possibilities.

But Higgins’ one-emoji response speaks volumes—and signals that there is still a significant gap between what the Bengals are saying and what Higgins believes is reality.

Tobin set the stage for optimism. Higgins hit pause on that immediately.

Now, all eyes are on the Bengals to see what their next move will be—and whether Higgins is truly part of their future.