Report: ‘All Expectations Are the Bengals’ Will Franchise Tag Tee Higgins

The Jaguars would likely love if Tee Higgins became a free-agent, but it is highly unlikely it will happen.

No potential free-agent has been connected to the Jacksonville Jaguars in terms of hopeful fan-created scenarios than Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins. 

But according to a report this week from The Athletic's Paul Dehner Jr., it appears that pipedream will remain just that: a dream. 

"Four different paths of his future — in conjunction with the contracts of Burrow and Chase — all would create significant ripple effects and determine how the Bengals plan on approaching the next phase of Burrow’s quest to deliver a championship. The writing is on the wall and all expectations are the Bengals will use a franchise tag on Higgins," Dehner Jr. said. 

This has always been the expected outcome for Higgins considering the Bengals' available cap space. With that said, it does likely take a target off the free-agency board that Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence would have gone to bat for. 

"I would be very surprised if Cincinnati lets him go. I don't think that's going to happen. But if there was an opportunity, it would be great to play with Tee," Lawrence said on Radio Row last week to Yahoo Sports' Jason Fitz. 

"You know, we've texted a little bit back and forth. And the league is funny. You just never know how things are going to work out. So many factors are at play. But of course that's a guy that I played with that we have a great chemistry. Great player. I would not be upset at all if he came to Jacksonville."

Higgins, who turned 25 in January, was the No. 33 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft and has been one of the key cogs to the Bengals' high-profile offense over the last several seasons. 

In four seasons, Higgins has caught 257 passes for 3.684 yards and 24 touchdowns in 58 games, averaging 63.5 yards per game in that span. 

In 2023, Higgins appeared in 12 games and caught 42 passes for 656 yards and five touchdowns.