Bengals Receiver Eyes Critical Deadline for 2024 Contract Extension
Cincinnati may finally be running out of time to retain a fan favorite superstar.
Over the past few seasons, the Cincinnati Bengals have developed one of the most explosive and exciting offenses in the NFL. Led by star quarterback Joe Burrow, this unit has become truly special thanks to a core of talented players. However, the success of this group comes at a cost. Due to the NFL’s salary cap system, the next few years will be a challenge for the Bengals as they try to retain their talented roster.
The Clock is Ticking for Contract Negotiations
The Bengals’ most pressing concern is the ongoing contract negotiations with their top offensive skill players. This offseason, elite deep threat Ja’Marr Chase and superb target man Tee Higgins have been in discussions with the front office regarding contract extensions. Unfortunately, as we approach mid-July, it appears both players might not secure extensions, with the notoriously frugal Bengals keeping their options open.
While Chase’s situation is less urgent—he still has two years remaining on his current contract—Higgins is in a different position. After his contract expired this offseason, Cincinnati used the franchise tag to retain him for the 2024 season. However, the window to negotiate an extension is closing fast.
Looming Deadline for Higgins
On Monday of next week, Higgins will be locked into his franchise tag contract for the upcoming season, eliminating the possibility of negotiating an extension until next offseason. This means the Bengals will face fierce competition from other teams once Higgins becomes a free agent.
For a popular player and fan favorite like Higgins, this is not the outcome the organization hoped for. Despite Higgins being a team player, the front office needed to anticipate this situation given the wealth of talent on the offensive side. There were discussions last offseason about potentially trading Higgins for a first-round pick or multiple picks. Now, after a disappointing 2023 season and a challenging 2024 offseason, it seems likely that Higgins will leave the team without any return, a situation that reflects poorly on the management.
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