Why Not Franchise Tag Tee Higgins Twice?

[MC Howley]

I’m sure the counterargument will be that the Bengals don’t have the cash flow they need to make this work. But if that’s the case, why not just franchise tag Tee Higgins again and trade him?

Injuries aside—though I know it's frustrating that Tee has missed half the games this year—when he’s on the field, it’s undeniable that the Bengals are a better team. The offense is simply more unstoppable with him.

What I don’t understand is why teams rarely franchise tag players twice. The Redskins did it with Kirk Cousins, but that seems to be the exception rather than the rule.

Now, according to the current NFL franchise tag values, a second-year franchise tag for a wide receiver (WR) in 2025 would cost 120% of the previous year's tag. That works out to about $26.18 million, based on the 2024 WR franchise tag value of $21.82 million.

So, if the Bengals were to franchise tag Tee Higgins in 2025, it would cost $26.18 million for another year of service. That number is still less than what Aiyuk, Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, D.J. Moore, and Cooper Kupp are making annually.

2024 Top NFL WR Salaries (Average Annual Value):
- Justin Jefferson – $35 million (4 years, $140 million)
- CeeDee Lamb – $34 million (4 years, $136 million)
- A.J. Brown – $32 million (3 years, $96 million)
- Amon-Ra St. Brown – $30.002 million (4 years, $120.01 million)
- (tie) Brandon Aiyuk – $30 million (4 years, $120 million)
- (tie) Tyreek Hill – $30 million (4 years, $120 million)
- Jaylen Waddle – $28.3 million (3 years, $84.8 million)
- Davante Adams – $28 million (5 years, $140 million)
- D.J. Moore – $27.5 million (4 years, $110 million)
- Cooper Kupp – $26.7 million (3 years, $80.1 million)
- DeVonta Smith – $25 million (3 years, $75 million)
- Nico Collins – $24.3 million (3 years, $72.8 million)
- D.K. Metcalf – $24 million (3 years, $72 million)
- Deebo Samuel – $23.9 million (3 years, $71.6 million)
- Michael Pittman Jr. – $23.3 million (3 years, $70 million)
- Terry McLaurin – $23.2 million (3 years, $69.6 million)
- Calvin Ridley – $23 million (4 years, $92 million)
- Stefon Diggs – $22.5 million (1 year, $22.5 million)

[Truck_1_0_1_]

If he was fully healthy this year and producing (and we were winning), I could see an argument for it.

As it stands now, hell no (I would in my heart, but it doesn't make sense for the team).

Can't tie up all that money in someone who could potentially miss half the year.

[MC Howley]

(11-11-2024, 12:21 PM)Truck_1_0_1_ Wrote: If he was fully healthy this year and producing (and we were winning), I could see an argument for it.

As it stands now, hell no (I would in my heart, but it doesn't make sense for the team).

Can't tie up all that money in someone who could potentially miss half the year.

But cant we argue... there are a handful of teams that would take him off our hands for 1 year at $26 million? So why not trade him...

[SunsetBengal]

Tag him, again?? Hell, they can't get any production out of him for $21.7M, you think that $26+M will do the trick?

[MC Howley]

(11-11-2024, 12:26 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Tag him, again?? Hell, they can't get any production out of him for $21.7M, you think that $26+M will do the trick?

Likely the same exact thing everyone would have said about Jessie Bates that he was "under performing" and not worth what he was demanding. In hindsight.. wish we franchise tagged him a second time too.

Why not force a trade at minimum? It seems insane to just let these guys walk and get a compensatory pick if we are lucky.

[SunsetBengal]

(11-11-2024, 12:28 PM)MC Howley Wrote: Likely the same exact thing everyone would have said about Jessie Bates that he was "under performing" and not worth what he was demanding. In hindsight.. wish we franchise tagged him a second time too.

Why not force a trade at minimum? It seems insane to just let these guys walk and get a compensatory pick if we are lucky.

Bates wanted and deserved the long term contract that Atlanta signed him to. 

Remember when the Bengals tagged AJ Green and essentially paid him top money to be out with injury all season? The Tee Higgins situation is starting to have that same sort of stench to it.

[Truck_1_0_1_]

(11-11-2024, 12:22 PM)MC Howley Wrote: But cant we argue... there are a handful of teams that would take him off our hands for 1 year at $26 million? So why not trade him...

Not sure anyone would tag and trade, but it might work.

It would be hard though, it all depends if he and his camp want to go along with it

[Truck_1_0_1_]

(11-11-2024, 12:34 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Bates wanted and deserved the long term contract that Atlanta signed him to. 

Remember when the Bengals tagged AJ Green and essentially paid him top money to be out with injury all season? The Tee Higgins situation is starting to have that same sort of stench to it.

I thought they tagged him to have the worst year of his career?

The injury season was his last under contract, IIRC.

[SunsetBengal]

(11-11-2024, 12:36 PM)Truck_1_0_1_ Wrote: I thought they tagged him to have the worst year of his career?

The injury season was his last under contract, IIRC.

You may be right, those couple of years kinda all run together for me.

[J24]

We have the cap room to do it ,supposedly! I would do it because who else are we going to spend the money on? A bunch of random joes to fill his spot!

[*bfine32*]

It depends on how much/ if any Burton Matures and improves the rest of the season.

[Whatever]

Like...why?

$26 mil for a 1 year deal for a guy who doesn't even suit up half the time is cap crippling. If you're getting guys on multi year deals, you can spread the cap hit out and get multiple starters for the same 2025 cap charge. To put it in perspective, DT's Christian Wilkins and Justin Madubuike have a COMBINED cap hit of under $18 mil this year after both got new deals this off-season. Eating a $26 mil cap hit for a WR who's as fragile as peanut brittle shouldn't be on anyone's priority list. Hell, after the past two injury plagued seasons, Tee should be looking at a one year prove it deal for half that, if not less.

Beyond that, because of how much time he misses and knowing you won't resign him, you still have to draft a WR in the first two rounds next year, so what are we gaining?

[Nicomo Cosca]

[XenoMorph]

(11-11-2024, 12:21 PM)Truck_1_0_1_ Wrote: If he was fully healthy this year and producing (and we were winning), I could see an argument for it.

As it stands now, hell no (I would in my heart, but it doesn't make sense for the team).

Can't tie up all that money in someone who could potentially miss half the year.

right..

Not worth the tag price if he is not on the field 17 games

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

Nah, too much to spend on a player that just seems to get hurt more and more...

Now a Tag and trade I would be down with if we could get someone to help the team. I don't find this realistic though.

[CloeHokie]

He is not worth it. Simple. We have enough undressed people on the sideline.

[Southpaw Frerotte]

Franchise tags are actually "lose, lose" for both the player and the team and that's the reason most teams end up working out an extension if they do use the tag. Obviously the player is at risk of losing out on a significant amount of money in the instance of an injury, down year, etc. And the NFL team (in this case, the Bengals) are assigning approx. 8% of their salary cap for a 55 man roster to a single player, which just isn't good cap management. The Bengals have been down this road before with Bates and Tee Higgins. Doubling down on their previous mistakes and re-tagging Higgins would actually be on par for this regime but here's to hoping the Bengals either resign Tee or let him go via free agency.

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(11-11-2024, 01:48 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote:

Tagging Tee a second time:

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(11-11-2024, 02:58 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Tagging Tee a second time:

  Sad but true and made me lol

[TecmoBengals]

(11-11-2024, 01:48 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote:

(11-11-2024, 02:58 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Tagging Tee a second time:

Me even thinking about it as a possibility.