Packers ‘Must’ Acquire $9 Million, 1,000-Yard WR to Help QB Love

Joe Tansey of Bleacher Report on Wednesday, December 20, wrote that Green Bay “must target” wide receiver Tee Higgins of the Cincinnati Bengals in free agency to help maximize Jordan Love, the team’s rising star at quarterback.

Higgins has been the No. 2 to Ja’Marr Chase in Cincinnati for all of his NFL career, but it seems unlikely that the Bengals can afford to give him a massive contract. … Higgins’ play with Chase out injured on Saturday, and in the coming weeks, could solidify his position as the top pass-catcher on the free-agent market.

The Packers have a handful of nice young wide receivers, but none of them have developed into a superstar yet. … A combination of Higgins, Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs and Jayden Reed would be a great unit for Love to work with [and] would allow him to take the next step as an NFL quarterback.

Tee Higgins Has True No. 1 Wide Receiver Potential in Right Situation

GettyCincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins is set to hit the free agent market in 2024.

Higgins has battled some injury concerns in 2023, though he has been on the right side of reliable across his four-year NFL career, missing just four games through his first three campaigns. Injuries have sidelined Higgins four times this season, but he has been healthy and crucial over the Bengals’ current three-game winning streak with backup quarterback Jake Browning under center.

Due to Cincinnati’s issues at quarterback and his own injuries, Higgins has had a down season based on traditional counting statistics. He has amassed 497 yards and 4 touchdowns on just 36 catches across 10 games played, per Pro Football Reference.

However, the wide receiver topped 1,000 yards receiving in each of the previous two campaigns and put up 908 yards during his rookie year. Higgins has hauled in 23 touchdowns in 56 career games heading into the team’s Week-16 matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday.

Playing behind Chase has kept a lid on Higgins’ numbers, though they’ve still been impressive despite his status as a second option for essentially his entire career. Playing alongside a gamebreaking pass-catcher like Watson could unlock Higgins and help him earn the first Pro-Bowl honors of his NFL tenure next season.

Tee Higgins May Prove too Expensive for Bengals to Keep in 2024

GettyWide receiver Tee Higgins of the Cincinnati Bengals catches a touchdown pass during an NFL game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in December 2022.

Higgins is playing in the final season of his four-year $8.7 million rookie contract. The Bengals selected the 24-year-old wideout at the top of the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft (No. 33 overall). While that draft position essentially attributes first-round value to Higgins, Cincinnati does not have the same fifth-year team option on his contract that it will be able to exercise on Chase’s deal down the line.

The Bengals can circumnavigate his free agency by applying the franchise tag to the wide receiver, which would cost the team upwards of $27 million to keep him in 2024 based on the top wideout salaries around the league.

Higgins is a quality player, but that amount could price Cincinnati out on a franchise-tag deal, leaving free agency negotiations the only option. In that case, the Bengals would have to compete with other interested teams, potentially including the Packers, for the receiver’s services.

Spotrac projects Higgins’ market value at $16.4 million annually over a new four-year deal.