Right now, the Cincinnati Bengals are in unfamiliar territory.
Cincinnati Bengals Willing To Go All In To Finally Bring Home A Super Bowl
The 5 year, $275 million contract star quarterback, Joe Burrow, signed just a year ago will come into full effect next season, where he will have a $46 million cap hit, compared to the $29 million in 2024, where he is playing out the 5th-year-option final leg of his rookie contract.
As such, the Bengals have continued to stay in win-now mode, making a host of starter-quality signings in free agency, including veteran tackle, Trent Brown, tight end, Mike Gesicki, safeties, Vonn Bell and Geno Stone, and defensive tackle, Sheldon Rankins.
The one position they are seemingly having difficulty paying is wide receiver, with disgruntled wideout and former 2nd round pick, Tee Higgins, being placed under the franchise tag, and no long term deal imminent. This is perhaps a tad strange, considering the non-renewal of #3 receiver earlier this offseason, Tyler Boyd, who along with Higgins and #1 WR, Ja’Marr Chase, once laid claim to the top receiving trio in the National Football League.
Tee Higgins Could Be Traded At Any Point, For The Right Price
However, with all the commotion, the rumor mill starts to churn, and now it seems like there is another name at the top of the list, AFC rivals, the Jacksonville Jaguars.
After missing out on re-signing former receiver, Calvin Ridley, the Jaguars’ receiving corps is looking painfully thin, with Christian Kirk, Zay Jones and Gabe Davis making up an oddball, hit-or-miss trio lacking real star-power.
Alex Key, of Bleacher Report, believes that after the Stefon Diggs trade to the Houston Texans, who gave the Buffalo Bills just a 2025 2nd round pick for the former All-Pro’s services, the market may now be set to the point that Higgins’ top price may no longer exceed a 2nd round pick in 2024.
It remains to be seen if the Bengals would be willing to take only a mid-second round pick for Higgins—they might want a late-round throw-in as well—but the wideout’s market could be cooler than expected due to his impending extension and lack of production in 2023.
If Jacksonville’s Round 2 pick is the best offer the table, Cincinnati may be better served locking in a quality prospect for the next few years instead of wringing out one more season from Higgins and losing him for nothing more than a compensatory pick in 2025.
Tee Higgins could certainly do some damage on the Jaguars with former 1st overall pick, Trevor Lawrence, and stud running back, Travis Etienne. Yet, it remains to be seen whether the Cincinnati Bengals are desperate enough to shift the former Clemson standout that they would settle for less than a 1st rounder in the next 2 years. If so, the question would then very much shift to, what will the Bengals do at receiver?
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