When the Bengals placed wide receiver Tee Higgins, a free agent, under the franchise tag and agreed to a one-year, $21.8 million contract, they essentially guaranteed quarterback Joe Burrow his top two weapons for the next campaign.
The Bengals tagged Higgins in an attempt to keep them together for a fourth consecutive season as slot receiver Tyler Boyd approaches free agency. This is because three-time Pro Bowl wide out Ja’Marr Chase is approaching identical compensation levels heading into his fourth season.
They have become the team’s best two postseason receivers since joining forces in 2021, when Higgins was in his second season and Chase was a rookie. In 2021 and 2022, they each had 1,000-yard seasons, which helped the Bengals win the AFC championship.
The Bengals effectively guaranteed quarterback Joe Burrow his top two weapons for the upcoming season when they signed wide receiver Tee Higgins, a free agent, to a one-year, $21.8 million contract.
In an effort to retain Higgins for a fourth season in the team, the Bengals tagged him as slot receiver Tyler Boyd gets close to free agency. This is because wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, a three-time Pro Bowler, is getting close to the same salary levels as he enters his fourth season.
Together since 2021, when Chase was a rookie and Higgins was in his second season, they have emerged as the team’s greatest two postseason receivers. They each had 1,000-yard seasons in 2021 and 2022, which contributed to the Bengals’ AFC title victory.
Despite missing time in 2023, the 6-4 Higgins remained a significant influence. He scored touchdowns at the end of the fourth quarter to set up the Bengals’ thrilling overtime victory over the Vikings, which included a leaping catch at the goal line and a blind behind-the-back sweep of the ball over the pylon for the game-tying score with 39 seconds remaining. The Bengals needed to win in order to remain in the playoff hunt in December.
Brian Callahan, the former offensive coordinator for the Bengals and current head coach of the Titans, remarked, “That would be one of the better ones I’ve seen just because it was just a pure freak physical play.” “My arm isn’t even long enough to spin around and catch the ball.” That was simply one of those incredibly bizarre plays, really. It really was amazing. For the pure physical weirdness of it all, that one will stick in my memory for a very long time. Guys don’t frequently make plays like that.”
