While the public reason for the Bengals’ lack of interest in a deal is that they are still looking to work out a long-term agreement with Higgins, as Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk notes, the optics may be as important to the Bengals as their actual plans for Higgins.

Multiple teams inquired about the availability of franchise-tagged Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins, but Cincinnati's appetite for parting with the No. 2 receiver remains unclear, according to reports.

The Cincinnati Bengals have created quite the predicament for themselves with their two star wide receivers this offseason, and now neither of them are happy following Monday's development of Tee Higgins receiving the franchise tag for the second consecutive season.

The Cincinnati Bengals are utilizing the franchise tag for the second consecutive season on the same player as wide receiver Tee Higgins has been hit with the tag once again. The Bengals, who announced the move Monday, do not want to allow Higgins to hit free agency, and will now turn their attention to negotiating a long-term deal.

The Cincinnati Bengals have used the franchise tag on Tee Higgins, and want to sign the wide receiver to a long-term deal. That has not stopped lingering

The Cincinnati Bengals placed the franchise tag on wide receiver Tee Higgins for the second straight year, and many fans and analysts aren't happy about it. Former Bengals receiver Chad Johnson recently called the team out for not getting a long term deal done with Higgins,

With less than a week to go before NFL free agency officially opens, the Cincinnati Bengals are busy, at least under the surface. They’ve reportedly given edge rusher Trey Hendrickson permission to seek a trade,