Cincinnati Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin sat in a mostly empty ballroom at the Westin in downtown Indianapolis recently and had a familiar conversation. Yet again, the Bengals' de facto GM was discussing wide receiver Tee Higgins' long-term future with the team.

CINCINNATI — The Bengals plan on using the franchise tag on Tee Higgins if they're unable to sign him to a long-term extension by the deadline on March 4. There's been plenty of optimism about the possibility of the Bengals signing Higgins to a long-term deal that would keep him in Cincinnati for the foreseeable future.