Tee Higgins just got slapped with the franchise tag again, and you know he’s not happy about it. Instead of locking him down long-term, the Bengals are basically putting him on a one-year ‘figure it out later’ plan. Sure, he’s getting paid, but his future in Cincy looks shaky at best. With major decisions looming for Ja’Marr Chase and Trey Hendrickson, the front office is walking a tightrope. One wrong move, and they could lose more than just Higgins.

This tag comes with a hefty price—$26.2 million, a massive increase from last year. But the Bengals had no real choice. Letting Higgins walk for nothing would’ve been a brutal move, especially with Joe Burrow relying on him. Back in December, Burrow made it clear: “Whenever a great player leaves, you wish you could have found a way to keep him.” The Bengals can’t afford to let their roster weaken while they’re still in their next Super Bowl window, and Higgins remains a key piece of their offense.

The tag buys them time, but it doesn’t solve the real problem—what happens next? The Bengals have until July to negotiate a long-term deal or explore a trade. If they don’t extend Tee Higgins’ contract, he could hit free agency next year, meaning the Bengals lose him for nothing. On the flip side, trading him now would leave Burrow without one of his top weapons heading into a make-or-break season.

At this point, tagging Higgins and figuring out the rest later makes the most sense. The Bengals need to keep their core intact if they want to stay competitive. But if they don’t start making real moves to secure their top guys, they’ll be right back in this mess next offseason—with even fewer options.

The Bengals are playing a dangerous waiting game with Tee Higgins

While the franchise tag keeps Tee Higgins in Cincinnati for now, the Bengals still have a much bigger decision to make. Commit long-term or risk losing him for good. As I said before, the front office reportedly wants to work out a deal before the March 4 deadline. But that’s way easier said than done. The wide receiver market has exploded after Justin Jefferson and CeeDee Lamb landed $34-35 million per year. And Higgins knows those deals will heavily influence his next contract.

Unlike Jefferson and Lamb, Higgins isn’t expected to reset the market, but he’s still in line for a massive payday. Since his franchise tag is set at $26.2 million, any long-term offer would need to start around that number. The Bengals, who also have to extend Ja’Marr Chase’s contract soon, might hesitate to commit that kind of cash to both receivers. If they can’t find common ground, Higgins could easily become a top trade target for receiver-needy teams.

The Bengals’ best move would be locking Tee Higgins in with a long-term deal. Which would not only secure his spot but also spread out the cap hit. And free up space for other key signings. If they let this drag out too long, they might be forced into a situation where they either trade him below value. Or let him walk for free in 2026. At some point, Cincinnati has to make a call. Are they willing to invest in Higgins, or are they just delaying the inevitable?