Commanders Should Turn Focus to Signing Franchise WR

The NFL crystal ball doesn’t always give as clear a picture as the one laid out for Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins. That’s because one year from now, it’s almost certain Higgins will be on another team after playing under a franchise tag in 2024 that will pay him approximately $21.8 million.

If the Washington Commanders are serious about their franchise rebuild, they should pursue Higgins and have an offer in place for him that can be delivered — by whatever means — the moment the Bengals’ season comes to an end.

What that contract would look like depends on how he performs in 2024, but according to The Cincinnati Enquirer, Higgins was looking for a 3-year, $70 million contract extension similar to the 3-year, $71.5 million contract extension signed by Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman in February 2024.

Pittman’s contract came with $46 million in guaranteed money.

Higgins Spent Offseason in Conflict With Bengals

Higgins spent part of the offseason in a standoff with the Bengals over a contract extension, which he didn’t receive. He spent the other part of the offseason demanding a trade, which didn’t happen either.

Now he’s playing under the franchise tag with extra motivation because his performance in 2024 will largely inform the size and length of his next contract.

Higgins, a second-round pick by the Bengals in 2020 (No. 33 overall) out of Clemson, signed a 4-year, $8.68 million rookie contract and then had over 900 receiving yards as a rookie followed by back-to-back seasons over 1,000 receiving yards in 2021 and 2022.

In a loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the 2022 Super Bowl, Higgins had four receptions for 100 yards and 2 touchdowns.

In 2023, Higgins’ production dropped off dramatically, with career lows in receptions (42) receiving yards (656) and touchdowns (5). He also missed a career-high six games with rib and hamstring injuries.

Commanders Have Largely Unproven WR Room

The Commanders have a rookie quarterback, Jayden Daniels, who is at his best throwing deep balls and only one proven wide receiver, veteran Terry McLaurin.

Unfortunately for McLaurin, he has spent a good chunk of his prime playing on terrible teams in Washington, where he’s had 4 consecutive seasons of at least 1,000 receiving yards. Beyond that, the Commanders have been lacking at the position. That’s despite drafting a wide receiver in the first round of the 2022 draft in Penn State’s Jahan Dotson, who has been a bust to this point.

There is still a scenario in which McLaurin could end up on the Commanders in 2024.

The reason the Bengals didn’t want to listen to trade offers in the offseason, despite Higgins’ requests, is because with a healthy Joe Burrow at quarterback and another starting wide receiver in Ja’Marr Chase they’re Super Bowl contenders.

Burrow, however, has been notoriously frail throughout his career, suffering season-ending injuries in two of his four seasons so far. Should that happen again, which is at least a 50/50 proposition at this point, Higgins will likely be on the table.

Even if the Commanders aren’t in contention at that point, they could pull off a trade for Higgins similar to the one they did with in 2023 when they shipped defensive end Montez Sweat to the Chicago Bears at mid-season and the Bears signed Sweat to a 4-year, $98 million contract.