Tee Higgins’ franchise tag deadline with Bengals is coming, and will determine his future

Deadlines make deals.

This is an axiom that is instilled in the minds of sports fans and lawyers alike. With apologies to Andrew Brandt — the former agent who went on to become the Vice President of the Green Bay Packers — who often outlines how “deadlines spur action” in his role as an analyst if you are hoping for movement about a player’s contract situation, look for impending deadlines.

To that end, this is a critical week for Tee Higgins and the Cincinnati Bengals.

Back in February, the Bengals placed the franchise tag on the wide receiver, and after weeks of discussions regarding a potential long-term contract Higgins signed the tag in June, meaning that if a long-term deal between the receiver and the Bengals is not reached by the deadline for such deals, Higgins will play the 2024 season under the tag and become a free agent for 2025.

When is that deadline?

Next Monday, July 15.

According to Article 10, Section 2(k) of the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement:

Any Club designating a Franchise Player shall have until 4:00 p.m., New York time, on July 15 of the League Year (or, if July 15 falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the first Monday thereafter) for which the designation takes effect to sign the player to a multiyear contract or extension. After that date, the player may sign only a one-year Player Contract with his Prior Club for that season, and such Player Contract may not be extended until after the Club’s last regular season game of that League Year.

While recent reports indicated that a long-term contract between the parties remains “unlikely” given the looming Ja’Marr Chase contract extension, this week is the last best hope for such a contract to be signed. With the July 15 deadline looming, that could spur both sides to action. From Higgins’ standpoint, the security offered by a long-term deal could outweigh any potential risks associated with playing under the tag.

For the Bengals, bringing back Higgins on a long-term deal keeps continuity in the offensive huddle, and while the Bengals have been linked with receivers in next year’s draft class in the “way-too-early mock drafts” this summer, next spring is a long way away.

And, as we know, deadlines make deals.