Report: Bengals and Tee Higgins not close in contract negotiations
Feb 13, 2022; Inglewood, CA, USA; Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (85) against the Los Angeles Rams during Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Wide receiver Tee Higgins is entering the final season of his contract with the Cincinnati Bengals, but it does not appear that the two sides will resolve that situation anytime soon.
Higgins and the Bengals are not close on a long-term contract extension, according to Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer. It would be “shocking” if any agreement was reached prior to Sunday’s game.
Tee Higgins and the Bengals are not close/ never got close on a contract extension, per a source with knowledge of the situation
Unless something “shocking” happens in next 24 hours, a long-term extension is not expected to happen before Sunday
@Enquirer— Kelsey Conway (@KelseyLConway) September 8, 2023
The Bengals just paid Joe Burrow a huge sum of money. The thought was that they might turn their attention to Higgins, but it sounds like the gap between the two sides is very large, even though Higgins has previously said he wants to remain in Cincinnati.
The 24-year-old Higgins has posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons for the Bengals and is regarded as one of the game’s top wide receivers. The team will still be able to use the franchise tag on him next offseason if nothing gets done before then.