Windy City Gridiron
The Chicago Bears aren’t likely to put the franchise tag on anyone once the window to do so opens today. But at least one big tag-related announcement could have league-wide ripple effects.
Multiple outlets have reported the Cincinnati Bengals likely won’t let star receiver Tee Higgins hit the open market and will use the non-exclusive franchise tag on him while attempting to sign him to a long-term contract. If the latter doesn’t happen, the Bengals will be on the hook for a $26 million price tag in addition to whatever they have to pay megastar receiver Ja’Marr Chase, who is about to become the richest pass-catcher in NFL history.
Why does this saga matter to the Chicago Bears, you ask? They weren’t going to be in the Higgins market anyway.
It’s simply a reminder of the harsh realities of the NFL — something the Bears may soon have to grapple with themselves.
In a more direct sense, the Bears might not be that far away from a Bengals conundrum if everything works out the way they hope. Let me explain.
Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow is currently playing on a five-year, $275 million contract, though he’s said he’s open to restructuring that deal to allow Cincinnati to k
If Caleb Williams becomes everything the Bears dream he will be under head coach Ben Johnson, he might well sign the most ungodly extension in professional sports history. We’re talking almost $60 million a year with over $200 million guaranteed at minimum.
On top of that, you’re hoping Rome Odunze will ascend into one of the league’s best receivers by then, which would require a $100+ million deal.
Oh yeah, and then there’s that DJ Moore guy, who’s still only 28 years old and could be in line for one more big payday before he declines.
Can the Bears keep those three together for the long haul while maintaining a competitive overall roster? Feels like a tall order, especially when you look at the Bengals potentially having to trade or lose defensive end Trey Hendrickson, the NFL’s sack leader from a year ago, to make it happen.
But watching how the Bengals try to achieve that vision could be highly informative for the Bears. Keep in mind: the Eagles might have to navigate something similar to keep Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, and DeVonta Smith together.
In a more general sense, the Bengals/Higgins saga also highlights an important truth about free agency in the NFL: the best players in the league rarely get there.
Every year, we salivate at the thought of elite players hitting the open market and the idea our team might submit the bid that brings them to us. And every single year, the Higgins-type players get extended, franchised, or traded elsewhere.
Why? Because good teams don’t let their best players, especially at premium positions, go for nothing (usually).
The Bengals almost certainly want to keep Higgins, even though they probably can’t. But even if they can’t re-sign him, they won’t let...
