The Cincinnati Bengals are set to bring back one of the NFL's top wide receiver tandems in Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins in 2025. The way the franchise has gone about it, however, has rubbed its players the wrong way.

The franchise tag isn't as widely used as it once was, but there are still a few teams that will utilize it to keep a high-end player on board. Players such as wide receiver Tee Higgins, quarterback Sam Darnold and tight end Trey McBride have all been rumored as possible franchise tag candidates.

NFL offseason is here. While the new league year technically doesn't begin until March 12, which is when signings and trades can become official, the franchise tag window has been open since mid-February.

The Carolina Panthers are hoping to add playmakers of all sorts this offseason. With the highly coveted Tee Higgins no longer set to hit free agency, the best option might come from an unusual place.

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The number of franchise tags for NFL players this offseason is way down from last season as it hit a 21-year low.

By taking another key free agent off the market, NFL teams have a ton to spend and few players worth spending for.

A Cincinnati Bengals franchise legend thinks the team is making a big mistake in its handling of Tee Higgins. Former Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson

It was only a matter of time after the Cincinnati Bengals announced they would likely use the franchise tag on Tee Higgins for a second year in a row for them to pull the trigger, which they did on Monday.