
There are fewer franchise-tag candidates this offseason compared to recent years, but the Bengals' Tee Higgins stands out atop the list.
There are fewer franchise-tag candidates this offseason compared to recent years, but the Bengals' Tee Higgins stands out atop the list.
Higgins doesn't know where he will be playing in 2025
Rapoport says it's "not a certainty that Samuel is done in San Francisco" while adding, "both sides appear to be at peace with moving on." Samuel, who will be 29 at the start of next season, is heading into the final year of a three-year extension he signed in 2022, and is also coming off one of his worst years as a pro. His 806 total yards and 81 targets both marked his fewest since his injury-shortened 2020, as the star receiver went curiously underused despite Brandon Aiyuk appearing in just seven games. Samuel's usage in the running game over the last four seasons (180-958-17) gives the appearance of a "gadget" player, but his value in the passing game can't be overstated. Since 2022, Samuel's 8.7 YAC/REC ranks the highest of any receiver (min. 150 targets), while his 18.4 YPRR ranks 34 in the group. Samuel's total cap number is just north of $15.8 million for next season, per Over the Cap, but with his current deal set to expire at the end of 2025, it's possible he'll want a new contract from whatever team takes him on. Samuel hasn't had a 100-plus target season since 2021, and has just one 1,000-plus yard receiving season on his resume. Depending on what a team would have to give up to acquire him, Samuel could make for a nice bargain for a team hoping to upgrade at receiver, but who also wants to avoid paying Tee Higgins $30 million annually.
Fowler elaborates that sources he's spoken to agree Garrett should be worth at least two quality draft picks including at least one first-round pick in any potential trade. The 29-year-old game-wrecker released a statement earlier this week that his motivation for a trade is to contend for a title, not secure a new contract. At the same time, the market for pass rushers figures to be quite lucrative, which would likely help him secure a new deal as part of any negotiation. Fowler adds that Micah Parsons is poised to eclipse Nick Bosa's $34 million per-year on his upcoming extension while T.J. Watt, Trey Hendrickson, Danielle Hunter and Maxx Crosby are all set to hit free agency in the coming years. Fowler says the expectation is that Hendrickson and Crosby will garner strong trade interest if their teams decide to entertain offers. The Raiders seem set to rebuild with Tom Brady running the show now and the Bengals are in a precarious financial situation with none of Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins or Hendrickson locked up long-term yet. There could be a race to get some of these extensions done as the contracts will only get more expensive for teams that wait.