Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins and his agent, David Mulugheta, have officially split, according to Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer.
“They are no longer working together,” according to a post from Conway. “Higgins is currently playing on the franchise tag and will be seeking a long-term deal in the offseason.”
The news follows ESPN’s Dan Graziano’s report that Higgins was considering a new agent. This comes after quarterback Joe Burrow expressed confidence in the team’s ability to retain the franchise-tagged wide receiver and impending free agent.
Tee Higgins new approach on negotiations
Graziano emphasizes this move from Higgins, suggesting that he may be seeking a new approach to negotiations with the Bengals. Cincinnati's decision to franchise tag Higgins this offseason, while planning a lucrative extension for Ja'Marr Chase, has now cast uncertainty over the future of both star receivers.
“There are rumblings that Higgins is pondering an agent change (he's no longer listed with his previous agent on the official NFLPA site, but he's also not yet listed with a new one), which sometimes indicates a change in the player's negotiating stance. And Burrow's confidence shouldn't be ignored completely, as he's not the type to just say things like that off the cuff. I don't know how this shakes out. I still think it makes more sense for the Bengals to pay Chase, even if that means letting Higgins walk. But the longer it goes without a new deal for Chase, the more expensive the price tag gets,” wrote Graziano in an ESPN article.
Higgins, a fifth-year wideout, has hauled in 45 catches for 581 yards and five touchdowns through eight games this season.
Following the Bengals' 27-20 road victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Monday, Burrow expressed confidence in the team's ability to retain Higgins.
Joe Burrow already inked a massive contract extension before the 2023 season. Fortunately, his cap hit won't spike significantly between 2024 and 2025. This means Cincinnati could potentially make some financial maneuvers and keep Burrow, Higgins, and Chase together.
Joe Burrow wanting the Bengals to keep Higgins
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) catches a deep pass for a touchdown in the third quarter of the NFL Week 11 game between the Los Angeles Chargers and the Cincinnati Bengals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. The Chargers won 34-27.
Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
It’s clear that the Bengals’ star quarterback wants Higgins back. However, Higgins is poised for a significant payday on the open market, with a current market value of $18.8 million over five seasons, according to Spotrac.
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However, Cincinnati also needs to pay Chase, who has one year remaining on his rookie deal. He's poised to shatter wide receiver salary records after an exceptional season. Additionally, the Bengals must address a defense that currently ranks fourth-worst in points allowed per game.
Despite serving as the WR2 alongside superstar Ja'Marr Chase, Higgins has hauled in 302 catches for 4,265 yards and 29 touchdowns in his first 66 career games.
Higgins has a history of minor injuries that have sidelined him at times this year. He missed the team's first two games with a hamstring injury and three more with a quad injury. However, he's never had a significant, long-term injury and is set to play at least 12 games in each of his first five seasons.
The Bengals will surely work something out, but Tee Higgins will undoubtedly be a hot commodity. Until then, Cincinnati aims to keep their playoff hopes alive with a win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.