A long-anticipated, long-term deal for Tee Higgins and the Cincinnati Bengals will have to wait for at least a little longer.
The Bengals announced on Monday that they have used their franchise tag on Higgins for a second straight year, adding that they intend to continue to work with Higgins "toward a long-term deal in Cincinnati."
The wide receiver initially announced the news on social media.
The parties have until July 15 to work out an extension. For now, though, a resolution on a multiyear pact was not made ahead of Tuesday's 4 p.m. ET tag deadline.
If Higgins signs the tag and ends up playing on it, he would make a guaranteed $26.2 million for 2025 -- 120% of the $20.6 million he made on last season's tag.
Still, the focus will remain a long-term solution for Higgins, 26, and the Bengals to keep quarterback Joe Burrow's No. 2 target in the building and happy.
For now, Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin's most pressing offseason item has an extended deadline.
There's plenty more to attend to beyond a Higgins extension, though, with Higgins' fellow wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase and reigning NFL sack leader Trey Hendrickson seeking extensions. Tight end Mike Gesicki, who had an excellent 2024 catching balls from Burrow, is also an impending free agent. To help matters, Cincy cut starting guard Alex Cappa on Monday, clearing about $10.2 million in cap space.
Signing Higgins to an extension was something Burrow expressed his wishes for and something the Bengals have focused on, though using a second tag was something they were willing to use if necessary.
In just 12 games last year, Higgins hauled in a career-high 10 touchdown receptions to go with 73 receptions for 911 yards, proving his worth over and over.
A 2020 second-round pick of the Bengals, Higgins has racked up 330 receptions for 4,595 yards and 34 touchdowns throughout his five seasons. He has formed perhaps the NFL's best WR tandem with Chase, helping Burrow to perform at an elite level autumn after autumn.
Higgins was set to be the top free agent on the market if he got there, but he's staying in the Queen City with another tag.
Tobin said at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine that he's of the belief the team could re-sign Higgins and extend Chase and Hendrickson.
Pulling that off remains an endeavor in progress for the Bengals.
