The contract dispute between Tee Higgins and the Bengals has ended without a deal.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on Sunday that there will not be a contract resolution this offseason, meaning there will be no extension by the July 15 deadline, so Higgins will play on the franchise tag come September.
In February, the Bengals hit the star wideout with the tag even though Higgins has wanted a long-term deal in Cincinnati.
However, he gave in and signed the tag on June 15, which gave the impression that negotiations would end.
The sides were unable to find common ground on a new deal.
Higgins, 25, will make $21.8 million this season on the tag and could be one of the top receiver free agents on the market in the 2025 offseason — unless the Bengals decide to tag him for a second time.
Teammate Ja’Marr Chase is also hoping for a long-term team with the Bengals as he is about to enter his fourth season of his rookie deal.
However, the Bengals have already committed significant funds to quarterback Joe Burrow, who will begin his second season of a five-year, $275 million deal.
The team will likely have to decide which receiver it wants to secure long-term.
Higgins missed all three days of the team’s mandatory minicamp along with all of the optional offseason workouts, but he is expected to report to training camp on July 24.
Before suffering rib and hamstring injuries that limited him to 12 games last season, Higgins racked up 42 catches for 656 yards and five touchdowns.
In two of his four seasons in the NFL, he has surpassed 1,000 yards and was a big part of the Bengals’ run to the Super Bowl in the 2021-2022 season.
Cincinnati will open the season against the Patriots on Sept. 8.