Titans, Tee Higgins rumors aren't going away anytime soon

The Tennessee Titans spent the early portion of the offseason linked to a potential move for Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins. The reasons why were fairly straightforward. Higgins, a Oak Ridge native and former "Mr. Football" award winner in the state of Tennessee, was scheduled to reach free agency with a ton of built-in chemistry with new Titans head coach Brian Callahan.

Callahan was Higgins' offensive coordinator in Cincinnati from 2020 to 2023, covering his entire professional career since leaving Clemson. Under Callahan's guidance, Higgins has recorded 257 receptions for 3,684 yards and 24 touchdowns. He twice surpassed 1,000 receiving yards (in 2021 and 2022).

The Titans badly needed a wide receiver(s). Callahan was placing emphasis on improving the passing game around quarterback Will Levis, an intention that required various upgrades at receiver.

Higgins was going to possibly reach free agency given the Bengals had recently signed quarterback Joe Burrow to a $275 million extension, and another historic deal is coming down the pipeline for No. 1 receiver Ja'Marr Chase.

Despite that, the Bengals slapped Higgins with the franchise tag in late February. Still, rumors persisted of the Titans potentially trading for Higgins given his displeasure for the tag. That possibility came to an end a few short weeks later when general manager Ran Carthon signed Calvin Ridley to a four-year, $92 million contract in free agency.

Higgins begrudgingly signed his one-year tag in June. Monday (7/15) represented the deadline for Higgins and the Bengals to agree to a long-term extension. Unsurprisingly, they didn't, and Tennessee's former "Mr. Football" will be scheduled to reach free agency next offseason.

This saga is just beginning.

The Titans are expected to be in the market for wide receiver(s) once again next offseason. Starting "X" receiver DeAndre Hopkins is entering a contract year and his age 32 campaign. Slot wideout Tyler Boyd, a former Bengals receiver that will actually play for Callahan and the Titans in 2024, is on a one-year deal.

Ridley is the only Titans standout receiver (Treylon Burks doesn't count) that's under contract through 2025. And just like it didn't this offseason, having one proven wideout won't appease Callahan and his pass-happy offense. If Higgins reaches free agency, he'll qualify as an ideal like-for-like replacement for Hopkins, should he not be re-signed or offered an extension, as a similar big-bodied boundary playmaker.

How much money are Carthon and Callahan willing to commit at receiver? Paying Ridley $23 million annually became more feasible because Hopkins' cap charge this season is $18 million, taking up seven percent of the Titans' 2024 cap, according to Over The Cap. Ridley's cap number in 2025 is $28 million, approximately 10.8% of the Titans' cap, so fitting in a second bloated contract at receiver will be more difficult to justify than it was this offseason.

The Bengals could potentially assign Higgins the franchise tag for a second consecutive offseason. This saga may contain more twists and turns, perhaps some that will qualify as unforeseen. If Higgins does reach free agency and the Titans aren't interested in re-signing Hopkins, projecting him to be "Mr. Tennessee" in adulthood becomes a near foregone conclusion.