The Cincinnati Bengals have a slew of tough decisions to make going into the 2025 offseason, with the contract of wide receiver Tee Higgins among them.
Higgins played the 2024 campaign on the $21.8 million franchise tag, and barring the Bengals tagging him once again or signing him to an extension, the former second-round pick will hit free agency this offseason.
While Higgins wants to stick around, the popular speculation has been that the Bengals may let him walk in free agency, or possibly tag and trade him. Cincinnati has to beef up its defense and sign fellow wideout Ja’Marr Chase to a massive extension and may not want to pay significant money to two receivers.
If Higgins hits the open market, Zack Cook of Sports Grid sees him signing a free-agent deal with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Tee Higgins is stepping into his prime and has quickly established himself as one of the premier wide receivers in the NFL. This season, he made a significant impact, racking up ten touchdowns and coming within striking distance of 1,000 receiving yards. His performance this year underscores his immense value to the team and his rising status in the league.
Predicted Landing Spot: Los Angeles Chargers
Higgins has played second fiddle to Chase during his Bengals tenure but has shown all the makings of a No. 1 wide receiver. Higgins has tallied two 1,000-yard seasons during his career and nearly did so again in 2024, finishing with 911 yards.
Higgins would’ve had 1,000 yards again in 2024 if not for his running into injury issues. The Bengals star missed five games and has missed 10 combined over the past two seasons, which is definitely a concern for any team looking to sign him.
The Chargers make sense as a landing spot for Higgins given their need at the wide receiver spot. Los Angeles looks like it struck gold with Ladd McConkey, but the jury is still very much out on Quentin Johnston and the Chargers do not have a viable starter to go opposite him.
Higgins would immediately slot in as the No. 1 option on the outside and provide a huge upgrade for Justin Herbert while helping to form an impressive trio with McConkey and Johnston.
According to Pro Football Focus, Higgins is projected to land a four-year, $112 million contract in free agency that pays him a total of $67.5 million guaranteed.
The $28 million annual average of that deal would place Higgins tied for eighth among wide receivers. Despite his injury concerns, the Bengals wideout should garner that kind of deal since he’s the best wide receiver on the open market.
Per Over the Cap, the Chargers are projected to have a very healthy $63 million in cap space to work with, so they can afford to pay Higgins that much if they want to.
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