The franchise tag has been a subject of debate in the NFL for years, with some calling it unfair and unethical. Still, with the Cincinnati Bengals placing the franchise tag on Tee Higgins for a second time, some notable voices are speaking out, including Detroit Lions star receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown.
Amon-Ra St. Brown Says Bengals Tagging Tee Higgins Twice ‘Should Be Illegal’
The 2025 season will mark the second straight year Higgins plays for Cincinnati on the franchise tag after the team tagged him in 2024. The 33rd overall pick in 2020, Higgins had long been expected to leave the Bengals in search of a No. 1 wide receiver contract with a new team and made his displeasure known as well.
Higgins’ fellow receiver, St. Brown, who received an extension from the Lions last year, was shocked to learn the 26-year-old had been tagged for a second straight year and voiced his frustration on the latest “St. Brown” podcast.
“That should be illegal. I don’t give a f*** what nobody says. That’s so f******,” said St. Brown.
“Saquon (Barkley) got that… I would be so hot, I don’t care what nobody says. It is good money, but still… You would rather get a bigger deal with more guaranteed money. Get locked in. Especially if you have been balling for the team for the past five or six years, like damn.”
"That should be illegal. I don't give a f*** what nobody says. That's so f***ed."
Amon-Ra St. Brown isn't a fan of the Bengals franchise tagging Tee Higgins for the 2nd straight season. pic.twitter.com/qA49ZPcSia
— St. Brown Podcast (@StBrownPodcast) March 5, 2025
Higgins has put together a solid career since joining the Bengals in 2020. Over the last five years, he has 4,595 receiving yards, ranking 18th in that span. While his 65.6 yards per game only rank 26th, he has spent most of his career as the No. 2 option behind Ja’Marr Chase, making St. Brown’s frustration understandable.
In what’s considered a down year for wide receivers in the NFL Draft, Higgins would have had an outstanding market if the Bengals had let him walk. While it makes sense that the team wanted to prevent that, it’s still a major missed opportunity for Higgins.
Given that injuries have limited him to just 20 starts over the past two seasons, there’s no guarantee the same kind of interest will be there for Higgins next year. Meanwhile, Chase is set to become the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL.
A $26.2 million salary is nothing to scoff at, but getting overlooked in back-to-back offseasons might be too much for Higgins to ignore in 2026.