NFL Trade Rumors: Bengals’ Tee Higgins tipped to leave as league exec urges Cincinnati to let WR walk
Tee Higgins has been an integral part of the Cincinnati Bengals offense since he was drafted in 2020. He was the first weapon brought in for Joe Burrow as he was drafted one round after him and he's been a key target for the quarterback.
However, his contract is ending soon. The Bengals find themselves in the unenviable position of needing to extend Higgins and then Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase all in the span of a couple years.
They have already turned down trade offers for Higgins and have said that they want to extend him, but should they? One NFL coach doesn't think so. In fact, he urged the Bengals to let him go.
The coach said to the Athletic:
“Higgins is good, but I think you let Higgins walk. Honestly, you may want to try to trade him this year while there’s value and then go draft a young receiver. He’s really good in that system. He’s a good receiver, but I don’t think he’s so dynamic that you can’t replace his value or production.”
Chase is the better receiver and will need more money and is more important to the team. Burrow is probably going to get upwards of $40 million a year. There's not a lot of room left to sign Higgins.
Should the Bengals trade Tee Higgins?
The Bengals do not have an easy path forward. This offensive trio has led them to two consecutive AFC Championship games and one Super Bowl appearance. Splitting them up is not desirable.
However, they may not have any other option. If they pay Tee Higgins now, they'll have a lot of trouble paying Chase later. Burrow's extension is a foregone conclusion and it won't be cheap either.
So, if it comes down to Higgins or Chase, it will be Chase. Knowing that, it's a surprise that the Bengals have ignored all trade offers because they could get a lot for Higgins now. They should at least consider it before he ends up leaving in free agency.