Bengals’ Receiver tee Higgins Signals Mistrust Over Long-Term Contract Claim
on Tuesday afternoon, Cincinnati Bengals’ officials made statements about their intent to negotiate a long-term deal with receiver Tee Higgins. Though, Higgins responded that evening by posting a single emoji.
What the Symbol Means
Using a cap emoji on Twitter, Higgins hinted that he believes a falsehood has been communicated regarding his contract situation.
Franchise Tag Dynamics
The Bengals’ Director of Player Personnel, Duke Tobin, asserted that the team plans to secure Higgins with a multi-year contract. This promise comes under scrutiny due to the financial dynamics of the NFL’s franchise tag mechanism.
In 2024, Higgins was given the franchise tag at $21.8 million, raising implications for 2025 due to a rule-mandated 20% increase in salary, surging to $26.16 million. This figure sets the baseline for any forthcoming contract negotiations.
What Higgins Might Be Considering
There’s speculation that Higgins suspects the Bengals’ intentions might be driven by the desire to tag him once more—potentially extending his current team stint or preparing a trade.His emoji response, following Tobin’s statement on Tuesday, suggests Higgins doubts the sincerity of the Bengals’ long-term offer.
NFL Timeline and Strategy
The Bengals are obligated to tag Higgins by March 4. Subsequent negotiations must result in a long-term deal by mid-July. Given this setup, higgins’s best move might be to observe whether the Bengals opt to tag him again. A second application would preclude any future franchise-tagging on him, transforming the game dynamics for any subsequent negotiations.
* How might Tee Higgins’ decision to use the cap emoji impact negotiations with the Bengals?
Bengals’ receiver Tee Higgins Signals Mistrust Over Long-Term Contract Claim: FAQ
whats the deal with the cap emoji?
Tee Higgins dropped a single cap emoji on Twitter after the Bengals said they wanted to negotiate a long-term deal. This is seen as a subtle way of saying he doesn’t believe the Bengals are being truthful.
Why is Higgins skeptical?
The Bengals gave Higgins the franchise tag for 2024, which means he’ll make $21.8 million this season. If they franchise tag him again in 2025, his salary will jump to a hefty $26.16 million. higgins might think the Bengals are just trying to keep him around for another year,before potentially trading him or tagging him again!
What happens next?
The Bengals have until March 4th to apply the franchise tag to higgins again. If they do, they have until mid-July to work out a long-term deal. higgins’s best bet might be to see if they tag him again. If they do, it would prevent them from tagging him again in the future, giving him more leverage in negotiations.
Will the Bengals give Higgins the long-term deal he deserves? Only time will tell!
