Tee Higgins has acknowledged that he might have now played his last home game as a Cincinnati Bengal with the wide receiver set to become a free agent this offseason.
Higgins has hoped to be given a contract extension for almost two years now, with the team needing to save salary cap space to pay quarterback Joe Burrow, as well as fellow receiver and the NFL’s receiving yards leader Ja’Marr Chase set for a market-setting extension this offseason.
This has left Higgins, a star in his own right with 10 touchdowns this season, without a contract extension and looking to be given a hefty deal himself, while being arguably the best second-option receiver in the league through the last few seasons.
After the Bengals’ home win overt the Denver Broncos to keep their playoff hopes alive, Higgins stated that he could have played his last game at Paycor Stadium in the team’s colors.
Higgins told reporters at his locker room: “This could have been my last game playing here in this stadium with stripes on. I wanted to go out with a bang. Hopefully its not, but you never know what the future holds. You cant go out any better way.”
Higgins actively looked for a trade last offseason, with reports emerging that he handed in a request to be dealt just hours before the NFL Draft. No deal was agreed upon though, with the Bengals keeping Higgins and signing him to a franchise-tag, keeping him with the team for another year on a $21 million deal.
This offseason, though, Higgins will not be short of suitors, with plenty of team’s looking for go-to receivers and likely to have the significant amount of cap space to pay the receiver, whereas the Bengals must first concentrate on paying Chase.
While Higgins has been with the team for a year longer, it’s clear that Chase is their priority moving forward after putting in another dominant season, with 1,612 yards and 16 receiving touchdowns.
Chase will likely be given more than the $35 million that was handed to his former LSU teammate Justin Jefferson this past offseason, with Higgins likely hoping to be paid around the $27-30 million mark.
The New England Patriots and Washington Commanders are seen as the favorites for Higgins, both having over $100 million in salary cap space while having an impressive quarterback on a rookie-scale deal.
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