Tee Higgins, 4 other NFL players who excelled during their franchise-tag season

Tee Higgins excelled in 2024 while playing under the one-year franchise tag, but the star wide receiver still might not have done enough to earn a long-term contract with the Cincinnati Bengals. With the NFL's franchise tag window now open, Higgins is expected to be tagged for a second consecutive season, according to FOX Sports NFL insider Jordan Schultz. 

[Related: The top 100 NFL free agents of 2025]

Higgins wouldn't be the first player to be franchise-tagged twice. Most recently, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers tagged receiver Chris Godwin, as did the Jacksonville Jaguars to tackle Cam Robinson, in 2021 and 2022.

If Higgins plays under the tag for the second straight season, he would receive upwards of $26 million (a 120 percent increase, per the franchise tag rules, of the $21.8 million he made in 2024). He would then be forced once again to prove he is worthy of a long-term deal, which many other franchise-tagged players have done.

Let's dive into some of those players from the past 10 seasons. Here are five of the best seasons by NFL players playing under the franchise tag in the last decade:

1. Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants (2023, $10.1 million)

Barkley parlayed his franchise-tagged 2023 into a long-term deal, a record-setting season and a Super Bowl LIX championship. But he did that with the Philadelphia Eagles, not the Giants. 

While playing under the franchise tag for the Giants, Barkley rushed for 962 yards — almost five times the total of anyone else on the team — and six touchdowns, despite missing three games with an ankle sprain. He also tied for the team lead in receiving touchdowns with a career-high four. After the Giants went just 6-11 and missed the playoffs, they let Barkley walk in free agency. 

Barkley signed a three-year, $37.8 million deal with the Eagles and rushed for an NFL-leading 2,005 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2024. 

2. Tee Higgins, WR, Cincinnati Bengals (2024, $21.8 million) 

Higgins battled through hamstring and quadriceps injuries throughout the 2024 season, but he still accumulated 73 catches for 911 yards and 10 touchdowns in 12 games. Those are especially impressive numbers considering he played second fiddle to Ja'Marr Chase, who won the NFL's receiving triple crown. 

Still, Higgins starred in the Bengals' 30-24 overtime win against the Denver Broncos in Week 17, hauling in 11 catches for 131 yards and three touchdowns. 

As the Bengals defense struggled, Higgins and the offense flourished. They ultimately fell short of a playoff berth, but when Higgins was healthy, the Bengals were 8-4. It's clear why Joe Burrow wants Higgins to stick around in Cincinnati.

3. Le'Veon Bell, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers (2017, $12.1 million)

Bell led the NFL in rushing attempts (321) and, behind his patient running style, he ran for the third-most yards (1,291) while playing under the franchise tag during the 2017 season. He scored 11 total touchdowns and led all running backs with 85 receptions. 

Bell peaked with 191 total yards in a win over the Kansas City Chiefs and scored three touchdowns in an AFC North-clinching victory against Baltimore. 

After the Steelers lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC divisional round, they tried to tag Bell again, but he opted not to sign the tender and instead sat out the 2018 season. His career sputtered from there as he signed with the New York Jets in 2019 before bouncing around the league.  

4. Chris Godwin, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2021, $16 million)

Godwin was Tom Brady's favorite target in 2021 as he led the Buccaneers with 127 targets, despite playing just 14 games. He caught 98 of those passes for 1,103 yards. Godwin dominated in a game against the Atlanta Falcons with 15 catches for 143 yards, shortly before tearing his ACL and MCL in Week 15. The Buccaneers certainly missed his presence in the playoffs, falling 30-27 to the Los Angeles Rams in the divisional round.

After the season, the Bucs placed a second franchise tag on him. But before the 2022 season began, they signed Godwin to a three-year, $60 million deal. He rewarded them with another successful season, in which he caught 104 passes for 1,023 yards. 

In 2024, Godwin's strong season ended in Week 7 when he dislocated his ankle in a game against the Ravens. Along with rehab, his offseason will be again be filled with contract negotiations, as he and the Buccaneers try to work out a new deal before free agency begins.

5. DeMarcus Lawrence, edge, Dallas Cowboys (2018, $17.1 million)

Lawrence had his second-best season as a pass rusher in 2018, recording 10.5 sacks and 23 quarterback hits, both team-high marks. He earned his second Pro Bowl nod that season and helped the Cowboys and their top-10 defense reach the NFC divisional round. 

After that season, Lawrence received a second straight franchise tag, but he and the Cowboys settled on a five-year, $105 million extension before the July deadline. Lawrence has played for Dallas ever since but is set to be a free agent this offseason again. 

He was limited to just four games in 2024, though he recorded three sacks and five QB hits in that time.

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