Cincinnati Bengals star wide receiver Tee Higgins will become a highly coveted free agent next offseason after not agreeing to a contract extension by Monday’s deadline, the NFL Network reported Sunday.
Higgins, 25, signed the $21.8 million franchise tag on June 17 and is scheduled to play out the 2024 season under that contract.
Of the eight NFL players who have been franchise tagged this offseason, Higgins is the only one who has not signed a contract extension.
Higgins did not participate in any of the Bengals’ offseason activities, including the three-day mandatory minicamp in June, and reportedly requested a trade in March.
Higgins was limited by hamstring and rib injuries in 2023, forcing him to miss five games, but he still caught 42 passes for 656 yards and five touchdowns.
Higgins, a second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft out of Clemson, appeared in 58 regular season games (53 starts) and caught 257 passes for 3,684 yards and 24 touchdowns.
He had 31 receptions for 457 yards and three scores in seven playoff games.
–Field Level Media
