The Cincinnati Bengals have announced they will use the franchise tag on wide receiver Tee Higgins for a second consecutive year. Chad Johnson, a former Bengals wide receiver and current ESPN analyst, has spoken out against the move.
“It’s disrespectful,” said Johnson. “If you want me to bet on myself, see if I can repeat it, and do it again. The second time you tag me, it’s like when you like someone but put them in the friend zone.”
Johnson believes that the Bengals’ inability to come to an agreement with Higgins on a long-term deal is a sign of their lack of commitment to the player. “If you don’t value him long-term, why even play this game?” he said.
The only way for the Bengals to keep Higgins long-term is if they stop him from testing the market. However, with free agency approaching and the team still needing to reextend Ja’Marr Chase, it’s unclear how much room there will be in their budget.
Chase recently tagged a photo of Higgins on Instagram, suggesting that he’s not happy about the situation. The Bengals are hoping to secure extensions for all three players before free agency begins next week.
Source: https://www.cincyjungle.com/2025/3/4/24377886/tee-higgins-tag-jamarr-chase-contract-bengals-chad-johnson