Analysis

Higgins and Cincinnati were able to come to an agreement on a long-term deal after the wide receiver had been franchise tagged for the second straight year. The 26-year-old caught 73 of 109 targets for 911 yards and 10 touchdowns over 12 regular-season games in 2024, and he'll now remain a Bengal for the foreseeable future. Teammate Ja'Marr Chase and the team also agreed on a four-year, $161 million contract extension Sunday, so the formidable wideout duo will continue to cause problems for defenses for years to come.

Analysis

A franchise tag can pave the way for a trade, but in this case it seems more likely to lead to a multi-year contract. The Bengals may end up rethinking their stance, however, if negotiations don't progress within the next few weeks and there's serious risk of no long-term agreement being reached before the July 15 deadline. Higgins might hesitate to sign his franchise tag (worth $26.17 million) if that were to happen, having already played under the tag once, although he'd likely still sign it before Week 1 rather than miss out on around $1.5 million each week. The Bengals hope it won't come to that and presumably have already begun negotiations for a multi-year contract.

Analysis

Cincinnati will place the franchise tag on Higgins for a second consecutive offseason, positioning him to play out the 2025 campaign on a one-year, $26.17 million contract unless both sides can reach agreement on a long-term extension by July 15. The move prevents Higgins from hitting free agency at the start of the new league year next week, as he would have been arguably the top available player on the open market. The Bengals have expressed a commitment in retaining the 26-year-old wideout via a long-term deal, motivated no doubt in part by Joe Burrow's public statements that he desires Higgins, Ja'Marr Chaseand pass rusher Trey Hendrickson kept together as a headline trio. Higgins posted a 73-911-10 receiving line despite playing just 12 regular-season games in 2024.

Analysis

Higgins played on the franchise tag in 2024, when he managed a 73-911-10 line on 109 targets across 12 regular-season games, posting double-digit touchdowns for the first time in his career. Quarterback Joe Burrow already has made his desire for Higgins to be retained clear, per Michael Baca of NFL.com, and the franchise tag could act as a first step for both sides to negotiate a long-term deal. Were he to hit the free-agent market, Higgins would be the top available option at the wide receiver position, if not across the board. Higgins would carry a one-year salary of $26.17 million were he to play out 2025 on the franchise tag.

Analysis

Higgins has taken questionable tags into the Bengals' past two games with both ankle and knee injury, though it's the former issue that has been the greater concern. Despite managing the high-ankle sprain, Higgins produced a monstrous 11-131-3 line on 12 targets in a Week 17 overtime win over Denver, but he was limited to four catches for 53 yards on five targets while playing 50 of 74 offensive snaps Saturday before seemingly aggravating the injury late in the contest and not returning. Higgins said after Saturday's game that he plans to play through the ankle injury if Cincinnati clinches a spot on the postseason, with the Bengals needing a Broncos loss to the Chiefs plus a Dolphins loss or tie against the Jets on Sunday to secure a wild-card berth.

Analysis

Higgins came into Week 18 with an ankle injury but was deemed active after being listed as questionable to play. Prior to leaving at the end of the third quarter, Higgins caught four of five targets for 53 scoreless yards. If Higgins is unable to return, the offense should funnel even more through Ja'Marr Chase, while Andrei Iosivas, Isaiah Williams and Kendric Pryor round out the remainder of Cincinnati's wide receiver depth chart.

Analysis

Higgins tended to ankle and knee injuries for a second straight week, and a questionable designation for Week 18 action followed three consecutive limited listings on Bengals practice reports. He again will play through those health concerns, and if his performance (11-131-3 on 12 targets) last Saturday against the Broncos is any indication, he's in tune with QB Joe Burrow at the moment, even if Higgins is operating at less than 100 percent. Higgins will be taking on a Steelers defense this Saturday that has given up the 11th-most YPT (8.22) to opposing wide receivers this season.

Analysis

For a second week in a row, Higgins is listed as questionable after being listed as limited on all three of the Bengals' practice reports due to ankle and knee injuries. The health concerns didn't stop him from running roughshod over the Broncos this past Saturday to the tune of 11 catches (on 12 targets) for 131 yards and three touchdowns. Assuming he gets the all-clear to play this Saturday when the Bengals post their list of inactives about 90 minutes before an 8:15 p.m. ET kickoff, he'll again join forces with QB Joe Burrow and WR Ja'Marr Chase to form what has been one of the most productive passing attacks down the stretch this season.

Analysis

The Bengals listed Higgins as questionable ahead of their Week 17 matchup with the Broncos due to the same pair of injuries, but the wideout suited up and turned in perhaps the finest performance of his career. He finished with 11 catches for 131 yards and three touchdowns on 12 targets, including the game-winning three-yard scoring grab in overtime. Higgins will once again carry a designation into the weekend after he was a limited participant in practices Tuesday through Thursday, but it would be a major surprise if he wasn't able to play Saturday, especially with the Bengals fighting to keep their playoff hopes alive.