Tee Higgins’s quest for a long-term contract is up in the air once again.
Earlier this week, the Cincinnati Bengals used the franchise tag on Higgins, locking him in for a one-year deal worth $26.2 million should he and the team be unable to come to terms on an extended deal before the summer’s deadline.
The move is especially frustrating for Higgins as it is the second straight year the Bengals have used the tag on him, pushing back free agency and the potential security of guaranteed money in a new contract, back for yet another year.
Higgins has not-so-subtly voiced his displeasure at the team’s decision, and is far from alone in his feelings on the matter.
Fellow star receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown criticized the Bengals’ course of action on a recent episode of his podcast.
"That should be illegal,” St. Brown said. “I don't give a f--- what nobody says. That's so f---ed."
“I’d be so hot, I don’t care what nobody says. It is good money, but still.”
"That should be illegal. I don't give a f*** what nobody says. That's so f***ed."
— St. Brown Podcast (@StBrownPodcast) March 5, 2025
Amon-Ra St. Brown isn't a fan of the Bengals franchise tagging Tee Higgins for the 2nd straight season. pic.twitter.com/qA49ZPcSia
St. Brown is right on two fronts here. Yes, it is good money—for those observing from afar, a player being “forced” to “only” make $26.2 million for a year of service might sound ridiculous.
But as St. Brown acknowledges, it’s not about the number on this year’s deal, but the guaranteed money that Higgins should and could be able to lock in sooner. NFL careers can shift on a dime, and players with the chance to lock in wealth will often take it.
While Higgins could undoubtedly line himself up for an even bigger deal next offseason should he once again play well on the tag, that’s what he did last year, and playing another year means once again taking the risk that a career-changing injury or even just a down year statistically changes his long-term earnings outlook.
St. Brown has not been alone in criticizing the Bengals’ decision—last week, former Bengals superstar wide receiver Chad Johnson said it was “disrespectful” of the franchise to tag Higgins for a second straight year. Additionally, Higgins’s current teammate Ja’Marr Chase has stood by him as he also looks to secure a lucrative new deal from the team.
There’s still time for this all to work out. Cincinnati says it is committed to reaching a long-term agreement with Higgins, and should a deal come to fruition in the coming months, all parties involved could still leave the offseason happy. For now, there’s still work to be done.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Amon-Ra St. Brown Says Bengals Franchise Tagging Tee Higgins Again 'Should Be Illegal'.
