Quote:He says all things are on the table as the Bengals try to keep both of their starting wide receivers with an extension for All-Pro Ja’Marr Chase and a deal for free-agent, two-time 1,000-yard receiver Tee Higgins. He also says they're prepared to extend NFL sack champion Trey Hendrickson.

Tobin also realizes they're trying to do what no one has ever done and pay a reigning receiving Triple Crown winner and a defending NFL sack champ on a team with a quarterback who signed the richest deal ever. He says they know Chase is looking at the richest non-quarterback deal ever."We know what it looks like. We know it's the design that we have to follow and if he's the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league, we accept that," Tobin said.

The Bengals are also looking to keep Higgins and Hendrickson beyond 2025 and realize the challenge, but Tobin believes deals can get done if there are continuing negotiations on both sides.

"I think we can get these done," Tobin said. "There has to be real engagement, and we want to get something done that everyone is accepting of."

(01-24-2025, 11:45 PM)Whacked Wrote: Yikes.

https://www.cincyjungle.com/2025/1/24/24350673/tee-higgins-projected-to-get-112-million-deal-according-to-pro-football-focus

Tee Higgins projected to get $112 million deal, according to Pro Football Focus

Tee Higgins may want to stay in Cincinnati, but based on Pro Football Focus’ projected contract, his price tag might be out of the Bengals’ range.

The football data site predicts that Higgins, the top free agent of the 2025 offseason, will get a deal worth $112 over four years with $67.5 million guaranteed. That comes out to $28 million per year.

Even though he missed five games due to injury, Higgins, still just 26 years old, finished as PFF’s eighth best receiver overall with a season grade of 88.2. He “consistently produced at a high level”, according to PFF’s free agency profile of the receiver.

The question is, will the Bengals value Higgins as much as PFF does? And will they pay him like the elite receiver he is when the team has another elite receiver (Ja’Marr Chase) to pay as well as an elite pass rusher (Trey Hendrickson) to pay at some point?

(01-30-2025, 03:57 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: How about we don't come out and say things like "we will re-sign them if we can come up with a number that makes sense for both sides".

Instead just say something like "we'd love to have Tee back, hes a great player and he deserves a new deal".

Saying the first thing is a clear way to piss off players and make them feel unvalued. Tobin is a clown.

(01-30-2025, 05:28 PM)Essex Johnson Wrote: So lie?? I read his comments on both Tre  and Tee and came away is a honest assessment for both with contracts and positive comments for both. As i stated before, i believe  Higgins  will ask for the sky and dont see him really negoiating much.

(01-31-2025, 01:19 AM)QueenCity Wrote: Rumor on twitter today is that the 49ers are interested in signing Tee if he reaches FA.

(01-31-2025, 07:15 AM)Go Cards Wrote: Many teams will be tripping over themselves to sign Tee if he hits FA, teams in our division as well.

Trading is the only beneficial way of losing Tee, if he just hits FA then it's a colossal failure by the Bengals. 

 

(01-31-2025, 07:15 AM)Go Cards Wrote: Many teams will be tripping over themselves to sign Tee if he hits FA, teams in our division as well.

Trading is the only beneficial way of losing Tee, if he just hits FA then it's a colossal failure by the Bengals. 

 

(01-31-2025, 09:26 AM)reuben.ahmed Wrote: Until 2025 I would say we are a colossal failure, if all we have is memories of on very rare occasions being in suprbowls and not actually winning them.

I don't think a front loaded offense with no defense is going to win a superbowl, it's going to put us on the edge of missing/making playoffs and that's it. I don't see Tee signing here, or if he does, we can kiss our superbowl hopes goodbye - where is the D? 

Being underpaid is not a good feeling, I dont' think Tee will be happy if he's making significantly less (even though we all know that money isn't that big a difference in the end especially if he now has a superbowl ring) - but we can see Burrow didn't take less, and Chase won't - so why would Tee.

So IMO - unless Burrow and Chase somehow take less, Tee is gone. I got my coworker a large raise, so much so that he makes more than me, I'm OK with that but there isn't 1% of me thinking, why don't I also make that much? Lol.

It's possible with a HOF coach we could make that front loaded offense work, I don't think we have any HOF coaches on staff.

Tee is still young, it would be crazy of him to take less, he will take less as a Vet to try and win a ring - like nearly every other NFL player before him. I don't have a lot of hope in keeping him.

(01-30-2025, 04:43 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Well, tag and trade him at the very least. And I would be okay if we paid him too as long as the rest of the moves can still be done. Ja'Marr
and Trey need to be extended, we need bring back Gesicki, add a Guard and another DL. If all this can be done and we can pay Tee I am for it.

(01-31-2025, 03:57 PM)Tomcat Wrote: I would love to have Tee back on the team, but i think we could get a top notch Guard and DE with his money. Tag him and look to trade him, or potentially risk seeing him playing for the Steelers. If by chance we get a good Guard and DE in FA, replace Tee with Egbuka or Warren at 17 and BPA in Rd 2.

(01-31-2025, 09:14 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Free Agency starts in just 38 days. If we tag Tee, we will be short $26m in cap space until we can trade Tee, which we can't do until he signs his franchise tag, which he doesn't have to do for many months (he signed it June 16th last year, the deadline to get an extension for a franchise tag player isn't until July 15th).

Whatever we get in return for Tee will not be worth missing out on being able to spend that $26m in Free Agency to help our 2025 team.

(01-31-2025, 03:57 PM)Tomcat Wrote: I would love to have Tee back on the team, but i think we could get a top notch Guard and DE with his money. Tag him and look to trade him, or potentially risk seeing him playing for the Steelers. If by chance we get a good Guard and DE in FA, replace Tee with Egbuka or Warren at 17 and BPA in Rd 2.

(02-01-2025, 12:52 PM)BigRed75 Wrote: Given the demand for Tee, it's a no-brainer to slap the non-exclusive franchise tag on him.  This won't keep teams from bidding on him so the Bengals can evaluate if they want to spend the coin or take the compensation.  I don't understand why some are willing to let Tee go for a second rounder when there is a clear path to cashing in on two first rounders.  I'm on the fence on what to do with Tee.  If he proved to be healthy it would add a checkmark to the pro column on keeping him but I'm also fine doing whatever Burrow wants.

(02-01-2025, 02:13 PM)Essex Johnson Wrote: With his injury history. I see no way someone's gonna give us 2 1st rounders.

(02-01-2025, 01:02 PM)Whacked Wrote: Love me some Tee and Love JB!

That established….

Anyone else scratching their heads as to why we even “need” 2 ELITE Receivers to win?

Mahomes and Allen don’t have anyone even close to 1 of our WR’s (Chase)…..let alone 2.

It could be argued that Tee > their # 1’s.
*Kelce is a beast, I get it but still.