Some Carolina Panthers fans were dreaming of making a marquee splash for wide receiver Tee Higgins in free agency. A significant development obliterated these aspirations in the blink of an eye.
Higgins was arguably the top free agent set to hit the market. He's got the scope to be a legitimate No. 1 option but is playing second-fiddle to Triple Crown winner Ja'Marr Chase with the Cincinnati Bengals. After playing the 2024 campaign on the franchise tag, analysts believed this represented his chance to branch out and cash in once a bidding war for his services inevitably commenced.
The Bengals had other ideas.
They had no intention of letting Higgins test the market. Quarterback Joe Burrow's public pressure on those in power to keep the team's core intact wasn't going to go unnoticed. Cincinnati needed to keep its franchise player happy above all else. It seems like his demands will be met in the not-too-distant future.
Carolina Panthers' dreams of landing Tee Higgins are officially over
James Rapien from Sports Illustrated revealed that the Bengals plan to use the non-exclusive franchise tag on Higgins for the second straight offseason. He also confirmed that the plan is to get the former Clemson star tied down to a long-term extension rather than let things become even more complicated down the road.
"The Bengals plan on placing the non-exclusive franchise tag on Tee Higgins for a second-straight season, league sources have confirmed. Sources say Higgins' camp expects to get tagged at this point. He would be the top free agent if he were to make it to free agency. Last year the Bengals tagged Higgins and there wasn't much dialogue about a long-term contract. He was the only player that was tagged by his team last year that didn't sign a multi-year extension. This year feels different. The Bengals plan to sign the star receiver to a long-term deal, sources say."James Rapien
It seems, for once, that Bengals owner Mike Brown is loosening the pursestrings for another shot at the Super Bowl. Retaining Higgins doesn't solve their defensive frailties, but it should maintain a high-octane passing attack. This move also means the Panthers and others around the league must pivot accordingly.
The chances of Carolina convincing Higgins to join its ambitious project were slim at best. He was projected to get around $30 million per season on his next deal, which is much greater than the total salary-cap freedom the Panthers have right now. Considering the holes elsewhere, especially on defense, it seemed like a dream rather than an attainable objective.
Dan Morgan will have a plan in place to strengthen the squad. The Panthers aren't in a position to splash the cash, but there should be room for a couple of high-profile arrivals. This is something the general manager accomplished in year one with the signings of Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis.
It would be a surprise if Carolina's biggest investments didn't come defensively after a historically bad campaign. But ignoring the need to get quarterback Bryce Young better weapons in the passing game would be foolish.
New arrivals will arrive. They just won't have Higgins' production or upside attached. That's the way things go sometimes.