With the Tennessee Titans in need of wide receiver help this offseason, the most talked about name from the list of pending free agents among fans and media has no doubt been Cincinnati Bengals wideout, Tee Higgins.
Aside from need, another reason Higgins has been a hot name for the Titans is because of his connection to head coach Brian Callahan, who was his offensive coordinator with the Bengals.
Higgins, who is also a Tennessee native, was asked about the possibility of joining the Titans in free agency and said signing with them would be “ideal” because it would allow him to go home and play under a coach he knows.
“It would be good,” Higgins told Jarett Foote of The Sick Podcast – Talking Titans. “Going back home to family and then being able to play for a coach that I’ve already been under, it would be ideal.”
Tee Higgins on playing with #Titans: “It would be good going home…and playing with a coach that I’ve already been under”
Tee to Titans? 👀#thesickpodcast pic.twitter.com/i71xUlJp9v
— The Sick Podcast – Talking Titans (@SickPodTitans) February 8, 2024
While everything seems to fit perfectly in this situation, there is one potential problem, assuming the Titans are indeed interested: Cincinnati can franchise tag Higgins.
If Higgins gets the non-exclusive franchise tag, he would be able to negotiate with other teams but the Bengals would have the opportunity to match any offer and retain him.
Should the Bengals refuse to match in that scenario, the team getting Higgins would have to send them two first-round picks.
If it’s the exclusive tag, Higgins won’t be able to negotiate with other teams, in which case the only way to get him would be via trade.
All that said, it isn’t totally impossible for Higgins to hit the open market, as the Bengals may not be totally keen on spending big on him with superstar wideout Ja’Marr Chase due for a massive extension soon.
The window to franchise tag players opens on Feb. 20 and closes at 4 p.m. ET on March 5, so we may have an answer on what the Bengals want to do with Higgins in less than two weeks.
