Any hopes Clemson fans might have had for a Trevor Lawrence-Tee Higgins reunion with the Jacksonville Jaguars are over for now.
Citing sources, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Saturday that the Cincinnati Bengals receiver would sign the franchise tag and return to the Bengals for a fifth season.
Higgins will earn $21.8 million with the Bengals this season under the franchise tag. The two sides can still negotiate on a long-term deal until July 15.
Back in March, Schefter and others reported that Higgins had requested a trade from the Bengals after being unsatisfied that the franchise had not offered him a long-term contract extension beyond 2025.
Lawrence, who just received a five-year, $275 million contract extension from the Jaguars earlier this week, said during Super Bowl week in February that he would welcome a reunion with Higgins in Jacksonville, if the opportunity ever presented itself.
Higgins appeared in 12 games a year ago in a 9-8 season that saw the Bengals miss the playoffs after previously winning the AFC North in back-to-back seasons. The former Clemson star was sidelined with injuries, making 42 catches for 656 yards and five touchdowns.
Higgins posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons with the Bengals in 2021-22, totaling 74 receptions both seasons.
The Bengals drafted Higgins in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft after a decorated collegiate career at Clemson. In his final season with the Tigers, Higgins had 59 receptions for 1,167 yards and 13 touchdowns.
In 2018, he caught 59 passes for 936 yards and 12 touchdowns. Clemson won its second national championship in three years that season, defeating Alabama 44-16 in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.
Higgins started all 15 games at receiver in both 2018 and 2019. His 27 career receiving touchdowns are tied for the most in Clemson history with DeAndre Hopkins and Sammy Watkins.
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