Bryan: Wishcasting Tee Higgins To Steelers Is High quality, Simply Do not Count on It To Occur

How nice would present Cincinnati Bengals WR Tee Higgins look within the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Black and Gold? Personally, I’d like to see that occur and I’m pretty positive various of you studying this really feel the identical means. Whereas nothing ought to stop Steelers followers from hoping Higgins lands in Pittsburgh after the beginning of the 2025 NFL 12 months in March, don’t depend on these needs coming to fruition.

For starters, Higgins just isn’t assured to grow to be an unrestricted free agent initially of the brand new league, and that’s as a result of there’s nonetheless an opportunity that the Bengals might place the franchise tag on the fifth-year veteran. Bengals QB Joe Burrow has made it identified that he would love Higgins to stay in Cincinnati, and whereas it could be fairly a chore for the Bengals to make that occur, it’s believable simply the identical.

Even when Higgins just isn’t franchise tagged, the chance of him signing with the Steelers as an unrestricted free agent throughout the offseason isn’t excessive. If Higgins hits free company, it’s onerous to think about him not being probably the most sought-after unrestricted-type this offseason, particularly in terms of the large receiver place. Professional Soccer Focus has already listed Higgins as its prime pending unrestricted free agent, and I believe PFF received’t be the one main media website to take action by the point the beginning of the brand new league 12 months rolls round.

“Higgins not often missed enjoying time over his first three seasons however has, sadly, been bitten by the damage bug in back-to-back contract years,” PFF lately famous. “That stated, when Higgins suited up in 2024, he persistently produced at a excessive degree. The fourth-ranked participant in PFF’s Free Company Rankings final season, Higgins figures to be one of the crucial sought-after gamers in the marketplace once more in 2025.”

For what it’s value, PFF has a projected Higgins’ offseason contract worth at 4 years, $112 million with $67.5 million assured. That’s $28 million per 12 months in case you are scoring at residence. And $28 million per 12 months would rank Higgins eighth total, and tie him with New York Jets WR Davante Adams in terms of the highest large receiver earnings, in response to Over the Cap. That record, by the best way, is led by Minnesota Vikings WR Justin Jefferson at $35 million.

I wouldn’t be stunned if Higgins fetched greater than $28 million per 12 months on the open market. That stated, $28 million would most likely no less than function his flooring value and thus a believable one at that.

Whereas $28 million per 12 months isn’t an outlandish value for a large receiver akin to Higgins, the cash side of such a deal, particularly the totally assured portion, would probably be an enormous impediment for the Steelers to beat. Keep in mind, the Steelers simply don’t like to completely assure cash previous the primary 12 months of latest offers for any gamers until they’re franchise quarterbacks or top-of-the-market gamers at their respective positions (see: OLB T.J. Watt and S Minkah Fitzpatrick).

Simply final offseason, ILB Patrick Queen was the Steelers’ most notable unrestricted free agent signing as his deal was three-years, $41 million, a mean of $13,666,666. Even so, and whereas Queen turned the highest-paid unrestricted free agent signing the Steelers have ever made when it got here to his common per 12 months, the Steelers nonetheless solely totally assured the primary 12 months of that deal. Queen is due a $6.67 million roster bonus in March, however that’s not totally assured till he reaches that date.

It’s onerous to think about Higgins signing a contract with a brand new workforce that doesn’t embody totally assured cash past the 2025 season, Actually, he may be angling to get the primary three full years totally assured.

Final offseason, Calvin Ridley was the free agent prize on the large receiver place, and he left the Jacksonville Jaguars to signal a four-year, $92 million contract with the Tennessee Titans. That deal, which averaged $23 million yearly, included $46.98 million totally assured, or almost the primary two full years of the contract. Ridley bought that deal from the Titans after registering 76 receptions for 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns for the Jaguars in 2023.

Might and may the Steelers break their long-standing precedent in terms of outdoors free brokers because it pertains to hierarchy of their present participant APY record in addition to totally assured cash past the primary 12 months? Completely they might and may. However will they? I’ll consider it after I truly see them do it.

The Steelers look poised to be very energetic in free company this offseason as their wage cap and cash-spending conditions point out that would be the case. Even so, I might be shocked if the Steelers go all out and land Higgins, who very properly might wind up being the highest unrestricted free agent in the marketplace this offseason ought to the Bengals let that occur. In the end, I hope I’m improper as a result of the Steelers definitely might use a gifted large receiver akin to Higgins. I don’t, nonetheless, consider that any degree of wishcasting, and that features my very own, will lead to Higgins sporting Black and Gold in 2025.