Throughout the offseason, there was chatter that the Jacksonville Jaguars could target Tee Higgins in free agency. However, the speculation came to an end when the Cincinnati Bengals announced that they intended to use the franchise tag to prevent him from hitting the open market. The time came, and Cincy proceeded as planned. That said, the Jags could still reunite the former Clemson Tiger with Trevor Lawrence if they really want to.
Higgins announced on Twitter that he had gotten the franchise tag, which isn't shocking when you take into account that the Bengals telegraphed their plan. What's a bit surprising is the fact that they could trade him despite the fact that they intend to sign him to a long-term deal.
tag.
— Tee Higgins⁵ (@teehiggins5) March 3, 2025
Not long after the news broke, Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that teams around the team believe a tag-and-trade with Higgins will be possible.
From an outside perspective, it's really hard to tell what the Bengals' strategy is. Maybe they legitimately want to keep the fifth-year receiver, or perhaps they used the tag with the intention to trade him and get a draft pick. Regardless of the reason, they should have at least a couple of suitors reach out about the possibility of getting a deal done.
Higgins, a second-round pick in 2020, has been an integral part of the Cincinnati offense the past five years, hauling in 330 receptions for 4,495 yards with 34 touchdowns in 70 games with 62 starts. While he's coming off a relatively down season, he would have been in high demand if he had gotten to the open market.
The Tennessee native has been looking for a long-term deal since 2023 but Cincy hasn't been in a hurry to get something done. The tag could serve as a placeholder to get a multi-year extension done, but nobody would bat an eye if he ends up changing teams this offseason based on the Bengals' lack of urgency.
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Why the Jaguars must give the Bengals a call about Tee Higgins
The Jacksonville Jaguars have a bonafide No. 1 receiver in Brian Thomas Jr., who gives the offense an element of verticality it's been missing for nearly a decade. That said, they need somebody else who can draw double teams away from the 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year finalist. The bad news is that neither free agency nor the draft provides great options.
In fact, the dearth of star power could prompt the Jags to keep Christian Kirk, who's been rumored to be on the chopping block. This begs the question, should Jacksonville give the Bengals a call about Tee Higgins?
The new regime has made it clear that building around Trevor Lawrence is its top priority. Reuniting him with Higgins would most definitely help. The issue is that they would need to compensate Cincy and give the fifth-year receiver a new deal.
The San Francisco 49ers just got a fifth-round selection from the Washington Commanders in exchange for Deebo Samuel. A third could get a deal done with the Bengals when you take into account that Jacksonville would need to pay Higgins.
The Jags have an extra third-round pick, but would probably need to free up space to give Higgins a new deal. They currently have $38 million but would need a bit more to avoid a cap crunch. That probably means releasing Christian Kirk to save $10 million, which could in turn be used for Higgins.
It wouldn't come cheap but Jacksonville would be getting a WR1. On top of that, it would most definitely allow the front office to fully focus on the offensive line and the defense in the 2025 NFL Draft.
In the end, it would come down to how much the Jaguars like Higgins, but Lawrence would certainly welcome the move.