Following the Cincinnati Bengals victory on Monday Night Football, Joe Burrow was asked about Tee Higgins and his status with the team going forward. Higgins is approaching the end of his contract and could become a free agent this offseason if the Bengals do not re-sign him. Burrow said, “I’m confident we are going to do what it takes to get Tee (Higgins) back (in 2025).” Burrow stated that he will do what it takes to make that happen. Tee Higgins is one of the biggest pieces in the Cincinnati offense, literally and figuratively, and losing him would be a major blow.
Would Tee Higgins Leave?
Tee Higgins
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins catches a pass in the third quarter of their Week 13 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Tee Higgins has played his entire career with the Cincinnati Bengals. Drafted in 2020, Higgins is a two-time 1,000-yard receiver in 2021 and 2022. Over the past two seasons, he has dealt with injuries, playing in only 12 games last season and eight games so far this season. Despite that, his yards per game have stayed relatively similar. This season, Higgens has caught 45 passes for 581 yards and 5 touchdowns. This gives him an average of 72.6 yards per game, the second-highest in his career. On Monday Night Football, in a 27-20 victory over the Dallas Cowboys, Tee Higgens had two catches for 23 yards.
That leads to another aspect of Higgins’ career. He has been the Bengals’ number two receiver, behind Jamarr Chase. Chase is one of the most dynamic receivers in the NFL and on most other teams, Tee Higgins would be the number one receiver. He just so happens to play with Chase, who got a huge contract extension this offseason. This is why many have speculated that Higgins would leave the Bengals. He would be a number-one receiver on most NFL offenses and may be yearning for the increase in targets and salary.
Would the Bengals Extend Tee Higgins?
cincinnati bengals tee higgins
Oct 6, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) reacts after wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase (1) scores a touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens in the first half at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images
To put it bluntly, the Cincinnati Bengals will need Tee Higgins back if they want to keep their already thin Super Bowl window open. From Joe Burrow’s statement, it seems like he knows this. But unfortunately, the decision to extend Tee Higgins is not up to him. It is up to the ownership and front office of the Bengals, which have not been eager to spend money. It may be hard to believe watching the Bengals this season, but at one time, the defense was the strong point of the team.
In 2021, the Bengals surprised the NFL by winning the AFC North and going on an underdog run to the Super Bowl. Many remember this run as Joe Burrow’s breakout season with a rookie Jamarr Chase, but it was the defense that carried them through most of the playoffs. In 2021 and 2022, Joe Burrow has only thrown over 300 yards once in a playoff game. And in that time, the Cincinnati defense has only allowed over 20 points in three playoff games, while holding opponents under 20 points in four. Many believe the Bengals offense has always been high-flying with Burrow, Chase, and Higgins, but the defense was the unsung hero in those playoff runs.
Over the past few seasons, the Bengals’ front office let key defensive pieces like DJ Reader, Jessie Bates, and others walk in free agency for nothing. Because of this, the defense is now the undisputed weakness of the team. No one on the offense regressed much of the offense has been better this season than in years past. But the front office’s refusal to pay good defensive players shrunk the team’s championship window.
This is all to say that if the front office let so many other players leave because they didn’t want to pay them, would they be willing to extend Tee Higgins? It is hard to say, no matter how much Burrow wants it. But perhaps this is another case where the Bengals front office caves and pays a high-quality player like Tee Higgins.
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