CINCINNATI — Tee Higgins is not expected to sign his franchise tender by the start of the Bengals' organized team activities (OTAs) next week, according to a report by ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Schefter said Higgins has not signed his tender and is not expected to before Bengals OTAs kick off May 28. Higgins would not be able to participate in team activities until the tender is signed.
Bengals WR Tee Higgins still has not signed his franchise tender and is not expected to by next week, per source. This would make him ineligible to report back to the Bengals in time for their organized team activities next week. Higgins cannot rejoin the team until he signs. pic.twitter.com/RltfFRe5dh
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 21, 2024
Higgins requested a trade out of Cincinnati in March after the Bengals placed him under the franchise tag. Schefter reported at the time that while the 25-year-old "loves Cincinnati," he was ready to find a new home after the two sides were unable to come to a long-term deal.
RELATED | ESPN: Tee Higgins requests a trade; 'disappointed' in lack of long-term deal
Since that request, Higgins has said he plans to play for the Bengals in 2024, stating at a youth football camp in April that he anticipates wearing orange and black this upcoming season.
"I do anticipate it," Higgins said. "... I've grown a love for Cincy that I didn't think I would, and I'm looking forward to it."
This situation appears to be similar to that of Jessie Bates' in 2022. After the Bengals placed the star safety under the franchise tag during the offseason, Bates did not originally report to OTAs or training camp, vocal about his disappointment in not receiving a full contract extension.
RELATED | Reports: Jessie Bates has no intention to report to Bengals training camp, play under franchise tag
Bates eventually signed in late August. Once the 2022 season ended, he and the Bengals went their separate ways. Bates signed a four-year, $62 million deal with the Atlanta Falcons. He and Higgins, it is worth noting, have the same agent.
It is unclear how long Higgins could hold out. Once the tender is signed, teams and players who have been issued a franchise tag have a mid-July deadline to agree to a long-term extension. If that does not happen, the player will play the season on the one-year tag.
A player could also opt not to sign their tender, like when running back Le'Veon Bell sat out an entire season when the Pittsburgh Steelers attempted to place him under a second-straight franchise tag in 2018. That decision is uncommon.
