ESPN News: The next move in the Tee Higgins Saga are unexpected and drastic.

According to NFL insider Adam Schefter, star Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins has yet to sign his franchise tender and he is not expected to do so by next week.

This means he will not be with the Bengals for organized team activities as he cannot be with the team until he signs. This is not out of the ordinary as the majority of players who will play on a franchise tag will follow the same steps.

The Cincinnati Bengals went through the same process with former safety Jessie Bates.

Former Bengals safety Jessie Bates went through extremely similar processes as his career with the Bengals came to an end.

Bates, in a fashion similar to what Higgins will most likely do, played his final year with the Bengals on a franchise tag after not re-signing with the team. Bates also didn’t come back to the team before the season as he was ineligible.