The biggest prize in the 2025 NFL free agent class at wide receiver is Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins , but the pending free agent says he doesn't really want to leave Cincinnati.
In an interview with Joe Danneman of FOX19 in Cincinnati on Sunday night, Higgins said that he wants to stay in Cincinnati and keep the Bengals core together, instead of hitting free agency — and has talked to Joe Burrow about making that happen.
"Yeah, of course, we all want to keep the core pieces what it is," Higgins said. "We want to build something here in Cincy. But you know, it's not in my hands right now. So, I gotta do what I need to do, and if that's go to another team, that's what happens."
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receiver Tee Higgins in a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Jan. 4, 2025. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
The Bengals have a tough road ahead to keep those core pieces together. Burrow is under contract through 2029, but Ja'Marr Chase is entering the final year of his rookie contract in 2025 and wants a new deal, Higgins is a pending unrestricted free agent that played under the franchise tag in 2024 and defensive end Trey Hendrickson is also entering the last year of his deal and is looking for an extension. Chase held out last offseason. Both Higgins and Hendrickson requested trades.
On top of that, defensive tackle B.J. Hill , cornerback Mike Hilton , tackle Trent Brown , linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither and tight end Mike Gesicki are all set to hit free agent this offseason, as well.
For now, Cincinnati has been holding it all together. But Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin recently admitted that could be a difficult path to tread, especially when it comes to the 31-year-old Hendrickson in an offseason where Joey Bosa , Myles Garrett , Micah Parsons and T.J. Watt could all be getting big-time contracts.
"We can't have guys at the top of the payroll in every position, right?" Tobin said . "We'll do what we can. We'll do what we feel is right, and we will try to get Trey re-signed. It's not giving anybody an extension. It's agreeing with somebody on an extension."
Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. and Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins during a game on Dec. 1, 2024. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
That could make Hendrickson and Higgins and either-or proposition this offseason.
The Pittsburgh Steelers — and every other wide receiver-needy team that's already set at edge rusher — are likely hoping they pick Hendrickson, as Higgins is by far the top potential player available at the wide receiver position this offseason.
It's a big drop from Higgins to No. 2 free agent wide receiver Chris Godwin , and even further from there to the rest of the pack in a weak free agent class at the position.
The Steelers would obviously be interested in Higgins. The 6-foot-4, 219-pound wide out plays the way the Steelers want to play, with Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin comparing him to basketball legend Shaquille O'Neal this season in terms of how Higgins must be defended.
"He's a big guy as you saw that touchdown late in the game against Cam Sutton," Tomlin said after the first matchup with the Bengals. "He is a challenge, and so, when we play Shaq, we're gonna use our fouls. We're not gonna allow him to get us off the block, if you need a basketball analogy."
Even if the Bengals can't sign Higgins, they could take steps to keep him from coming to the Steelers. They can once again use the franchise tag on him, a move that would offer him a guaranteed one-year contract worth north of $26 million. With Higgins expected to demand more than that on the open market, the Bengals could then trade Higgins elsewhere to keep him from landing with an AFC North rival.
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