Cincinnati Bengals star wide receiver Tee Higgins watched as yet another franchise-tagged player signed a big money extension on April 10.
That fellow NFL athlete was Jacksonville Jaguars edge rusher Josh Allen, and after ESPN insider Adam Schefter relayed that seven out of the nine 2024 franchise-tagged players have agreed to long-term deals, The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. noted that Higgins and Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield Jr. are now the only two remaining who have not.
“Quite easy to understand Higgins’ frustration through this lens,” Dehner added.
Before long, several Bengals supporters commented on Dehner’s post, including one fan who targeted the wideout’s player agent, David Mulugheta.
“No. Tee has a 💩 [poop emoji] agent,” she wrote. Stating: “If @teehiggins5 had Jalen Hurts’ agent, Tee Higgins would have a long-term deal.”
Surprisingly, the social media tag appeared to get the two-time 1,000-yard wide receiver’s attention, and he actually offered a response. The four-word reply simply read: “Nah he the best👍🏾.”
For those hoping Higgins drops Mulugheta, that doesn’t seem likely to happen anytime soon. The player agent is famous for landing Deshaun Watson a fully guaranteed $230 million contract with the Cleveland Browns after his off-the-field accusations — so he has a reputation for getting his clients paid.
All Quiet on Tee Higgins Trade Front Despite March Request
It feels like a lifetime ago when Higgins formally requested a trade on March 11.
“Bengals franchise WR Tee Higgins has requested a trade, per sources,” Schefter informed at the time. “Higgins loves Cincinnati and hoped to be with the team long term, but is disappointed that the team has not had any talks about a long-term contract extension since March 2023. He’s ready to move on to a new home.”
That bit of news dropped just before the start of NFL free agency, and it’s been a wild ride around the league ever since.
For Higgins though, it’s been quiet. Too quiet.
Contract negotiations between Mulugheta and the Bengals have seemingly stalled, and Cincy is clearly in no hurry to trade the former second-round selection. So, what sort of outcome are we looking at in 2024?
Higgins has two options — assuming the Bengals don’t pivot and trade the wideout ahead of or during the NFL draft.
Option one; play on the franchise tag and give it your all for one last Super Bowl run alongside Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase. Or route number two; holdout à la Le’Veon Bell in 2018 — but we all remember how well that turned out.
It’s highly unlikely Cincinnati would franchise tag Higgins in back-to-back seasons, due to the amplified price of utilizing the tag in consecutive years.
Brian Thomas Jr. Becoming Popular Tee Higgins Replacement in 2024 NFL Draft
They may play together in 2024, but LSU’s Brian Thomas Jr. is becoming a popular long-term replacement for Higgins in the NFL draft, due to his similar attributes.
NFL Network draft analyst Chad Reuter was the latest prominent writer to forecast Thomas to the Bengals on April 5.
“The Bengals take a receiver who can stretch the field in case the franchise-tagged Tee Higgins is ultimately dealt or isn’t around for the long term,” Reuter reasoned. “Quarterback Joe Burrow finished his career at LSU before Thomas arrived in Baton Rouge, but a quick connection could be in the making.”
It’d make sense for Cincinnati to find a successor to Higgins in late April, whether in round one or sometime over the weekend. This is a very deep WR class in 2024, with lots of talent that is expected to range into the mid and late rounds of the draft.
That works perfectly for the Bengals, who could try their luck with one or two pass-catcher selections that can first learn head coach Zac Taylor’s system as rookies — then thrive in 2025.
Comments
Tee Higgins Sends 4-Word Reply to Bengals Fan Amid Stalled Contract Talks