Star Receiver Tee Higgins Requests a Trade from Cincinnati Bengals After Franchise Tag
With the franchise tag period now at a close (February 20 through March 5,) the Cincinnati Bengals made the decision early to franchise tag their wide receiver, Tee Higgins. The NFL’s salary cap is set to increase this coming year. It will be up from $224.8 million last season, now a total of $255.4 million. His franchise tag salary would come to $21.816 million and the Bengals are sitting with $48,551,440 in cap space for the upcoming 2024 season.
Higgins was a second-round pick of Cincinnati’s in 2020 and he has been one of the core pieces of the Bengals team. Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase have made names for themselves as a top receiver duo in the league.
With on-and-off injuries throughout the season to his receiving partner, Ja’Marr Chase, Higgins made himself the target for his quarterback Joe Burrow in those absences. In the 2023-24 NFL season, Higgins picked up 656 yards on 42 receptions with five touchdowns. Higgins had his own injury-plagued season, so this stat line was noticeably down from previous years, but it still solidifies him as a top receiver in the league and an asset to the Bengals.
Quarterback Joe Burrow has reiterated Higgins’ importance to their team in Cincinnati as they look to make another Super Bowl run. However, it is possible that a long-term deal may be delayed until receivers of similar likenesses start to appear, i.e. Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings. It is also very possible that teams looking to add a standout WR1 look to trade for Higgins after he has now been tagged and, most recently, requested a trade.
Tee Higgins Requests A Trade
As the free agency period opened on Monday, March 11th, Tee Higgins has publically requested a trade from the Cincinnati Bengals. This news came just hours before the legal tampering window opened at noon ET.
Higgins asking for a trade after being franchise-tagged is similar to Jessie Bates III last season, as well as offensive tackle, Jonah Williams, who sought a trade after Orlando Brown, Jr. was acquired.
In his four seasons with Cincinnati, Higgins was a big part of the organization and their more recent success. Higgins had 257 catches, 3,684 yards, and 24 touchdowns over those seasons.
“Higgins loves Cincinnati and hoped to be with the team long-term, but is disappointed that the team has not had any talks about a long-term contract extension since March 2023. He’s ready to move on to a new home.” via Adam Schefter.
This opens Cincinnati to take a look at Higgins’ value to the team and ultimately make a decision— do they keep one of their stars or do they let him go? Higgins will likely compare similar wide receiver deals that occur around the league to ensure that he is getting a deal that he feels he deserves as a star receiver. He is considered a WR1, and would fit right into that role in another other team that decides to take him.
However, Cincinnati needs to handle the request in a way that ensures they get the best possible outcome for the franchise if they do decide to trade Tee Higgins. He is a star, and he would have to be traded at a high price that still benefits the organization if that was the outcome.
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