Should the Broncos make a big splash in free agency and sign Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins?

The biggest name that could be available during free agency is Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins. He is coming off a year where he played on the Franchise Tag and now is a pending free agent on the verge of a major payday.

He is coming off a year where he played in 12 games where he totaled 73 receptions for 911 yards and 10 touchdown receptions. He did this as the number two option in the explosive Bengals passing attack, which included Ja’Marr Chase. Ironically, his best performance of the year came against the Broncos. In a must-win game for both teams, Higgins abused the Broncos and returning cornerback Riley Moss. In that game, he totaled 11 receptions for 131 yards and 3 touchdowns. During his career, Higgins has totaled 330 receptions for 4,595 yards and 34 receiving touchdowns.

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— NFL (@NFL) December 29, 2024

Now, with the Broncos looking to surround quarterback Bo Nix with weapons this offseason, could they make a big splash in free agency and sign Tee Higgins?

Why the Broncos should sign WR Tee Higgins

The Broncos need to add more playmakers on offense, they have available cap space, and, more importantly, cash on hand to make a big splashy deal. Higgins would be the biggest playmaker available in free agency and would give quarterback Bo Nix another big and explosive weapon to target in the passing game.

At wide receiver, they have veteran Courtland Sutton, who will turn 30 years old and is entering the final year of his deal. He wanted a new contract from the team last year and has been part of trade rumors, so we’ll see what happens this offseason. All-Pro return man Marvin Mims had a breakout second half of the year as a receiver but still has a limited route tree. Then you have Devaughn Vele and Troy Franklin entering their first full offseason with the Broncos. Their development this offseason will be key for the Broncos and will influence what the team does at wide receiver this offseason.

Adding Higgins would give the Broncos another legitimate option in the passing game to pair with Sutton and Mims. This would allow Vele and Franklin to develop and be role players for Sean Payton throughout the year. Vele can be your big slot and rotate in for Mims while Franklin can be your deep threat.

The Broncos have a limited timetable to take advantage of Bo Nix being on a rookie contract, so now is the time to invest in high-priced playmakers like Tee Higgins. We all saw the Broncos’ defense have no answers for Higgins when he went for 100+ yards and had 3 touchdown receptions. Giving Bo Nix a playmaker like that would help the Broncos offense take that next step this upcoming season and allow them to address the running back and tight end positions via the draft.

Why the Broncos will not sign WR Tee Higgins

First, he may not even reach free agency. The Bengals COULD franchise tag Tee Higgins for a second time, but that would come with a high price tag. They have to sign Ja’Marr Chase to a new deal yet and have plenty of holes on that roster they need to address. Taking on a large cap hit for Higgins would not make sense for the Bengals who are notorious for being cheap, but we cannot rule it out.

If he does reach free agency, he is going to command top receiver money and likely surpass the $30 million dollar year mark. Tee Higgins is a very good receiver and would improve the Broncos’ offense, but is he really worth that much? He has been a very good number two but has benefitted from playing across from Ja’Marr Chase for the majority of his career. Can he truly be a difference making number one option in a passing offense?

On top of that, the Broncos have other pressing needs they need to address this offseason. They need multiple linebackers, a defensive lineman or two, maybe a safety, and major help at tight end and running back. Making a huge, splashy signing like that would limit what other moves they could make this offseason. Despite being a playoff team, the roster still has plenty of holes and is not in the position to make a signing like this.

Is wide receiver even a major need for the Broncos? Courtland Sutton had another good year for the team and has totaled 18 touchdown receptions during the past two seasons. Marvin Mims turned into a playmaker and Vele and Franklin could develop into starters for the team moving forward. Improvements at running back and tight end could open up things for the wide receivers as well.

Final Thoughts

During the season, I was a big sign Tee Higgins guy, but my position on the matter has shifted as we entered the offseason. First, I don’t think the Broncos are in the position to make a move like this. Sure, they outperformed their expectations and made the playoffs, but this roster is still far from being able to contend with the elites in the AFC. While adding Higgins would be an improvement, they need to address other areas of the roster before making a high-price splash wide receiver signing.

Also, while I believe Higgins is a very good receiver, I do not believe he is worth the top dollar that he is going to demand. He has only topped 1,000 yards twice in his career and has missed a number of the games the past two seasons. Again, he is a very good player, but his numbers are similar to Courtland Sutton, who will cost half the price of Higgins. Will the juice really be worth the squeeze?

I would rather see the Broncos make their splashy free-agent signings on defense, add some depth with cheaper signings, and build the roster via the draft. With that said, I wouldn’t be upset if it happened.

What do you think Broncos Country? Should the Broncos consider signing wide receiver Tee Higgins if he hits free agency?