Instant Reaction: Tee Higgins Requests Trade, How Bengals Will React and More

The 25-year-old wants out of Cincinnati.

Author:
James Rapien
Publish date:
Mar 11, 2024 11:30 AM EDT

In this story:

CINCINNATI — Tee Higgins officially asked the Bengals for a trade on Monday morning.

It isn't a huge surprise considering the team used the franchise tag on him and are comfortable paying him $21.8 million this season. Higgins wants a long-term extension and clearly doesn't think he'll get it in Cincinnati.

The 25-year-old may have asked for a trade, but the Bengals have all of the leverage. They know exactly what it'll cost to pay Higgins this season. They also know that if he plays well, they can tag him again next year for $26 million.

That's probably why Higgins's agent David Mulugheta requested a trade. He and his client are stuck between a rock and a hard place. Even if Higgins plays well like Jessie Bates did for the Bengals in 2022 on the franchise tag, that would give the front office plenty of incentive to tag him again next offseason.

The Bengals' don't blink in situations like this. Last year Jonah Williams requested a trade after the team signed Orlando Brown Jr. Williams went on to play all 17 games at right tackle.

Bengals President and Owner Mike Brown isn't going to trade Higgins because he's unhappy about his contract situation. Could the right deal come along? Of course. But it'll be a trade that the Bengals are comfortable with.

I went into detail about one realistic scenario that involves Cincinnati using Higgins to trade up in the 2024 NFL Draft. For more on that possibility, go here.

I'd be surprised if the Bengals traded Higgins for anything less than a first round pick. Would they do it for a combination of picks that adds up to a first? Would they want a quality veteran player in a potential deal?

We don't know the asking price, but we do know the Bengals aren't going to be bullied into trading Higgins, even if he's upset about his contract situation.

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