Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) catches a deep pass in the third quarter during a Week 17 NFL football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023, at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. The Kansas City Chiefs won 25-17. Cincinnati Bengals star wide receiver Tee Higgins will not agree to a contract extension before Monday’s deadline, meaning he will be a highly coveted free agent next season, NFL Network reported Sunday.
Higgins, 25, signed a $21.8 million franchise tag contract on June 17 and will play through the 2024 season under that contract.
Of the eight NFL players granted franchise status this offseason, Higgins is the only one who has not signed an extension.
Higgins did not participate in any offseason activities with the Bengals, including a mandatory three-day minicamp in June. He reportedly requested a trade in March.
Higgins was limited by hamstring and rib injuries in 2023, forcing him to miss five games. He still caught 42 passes for 656 yards and scored five touchdowns.
Selected in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft out of Clemson, Higgins appeared in 58 regular-season games (53 starts) and caught 257 passes for 3,684 and 24 touchdowns.
He added 31 receptions for 457 yards and three touchdowns in seven playoff games.
–Field level media
