The Houston Texans need help at receiver this offseason. While Nico Collins collected his second straight 1,000-yard season, the Texans didn’t give him much support as Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell suffered season-ending injuries and Robert Woods was quiet in the final year of his contract.
Although the Texans have a need along the offensive line, receiver might be the No. 1 item on fans' wish list this offseason. But just as Houston may have been prepared to spend big money on a pass catcher when free agency opens on March 12, the Cincinnati Bengals put the franchise tag on Tee Higgins Monday afternoon.
The tag doesn’t seem to impact Houston much as they have just $4.6 million in cap space entering the new league year. But Higgins’ tag may have unintended consequences when it comes to the Texans’ ability to keep one of their top playmakers.
Stefon Diggs May Be Leaving Houston After Tee Higgins’ Franchise Tag
The Texans may not have been in on Higgins, but they have kept the door open to bring Diggs back in 2025. The 31-year-old was acquired last offseason to give C.J. Stroud another target in the passing game but his first year in Houston was disappointing with 47 catches for 496 yards and three touchdowns before tearing his ACL last October.
A pending free agent, Diggs will have plenty of suitors on the market. But Texans general manager Nick Caserio sounded positive about the chances of a reunion last month.
“I have a good relationship with [Diggs] and his representation,” Caserio said. “We enjoyed having Stef in the building, so the door is always open. We never rule anything out, so we’re going to be open-minded. …Things will probably pick up over the next few weeks.”
Even if both sides are on good terms, Diggs could still cash in after Higgins was tagged. Diggs ranks second among receivers on The Athletic’s free agent rankings behind Chris Godwin of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and could easily become the top name available if Godwin reaches an agreement to return.
Spotrac has Diggs’s market value listed at $13.5 million, but that number could change if a desperate team such as the New England Patriots, Las Vegas Raiders or Los Angeles Chargers throws a few more dollars on the table.
The Texans do have an avenue to create more cap space for Diggs’s return, but it seems unlikely considering their needs this offseason. It could mean Diggs is one-and-done in Houston and the chances of that increased with Monday’s news.