Wide receiver Tee Higgins and the Cincinnati Bengals appear destined for the franchise tag. Originally selected in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, the Clemson product quickly established himself as one of the better outside receivers in the game. With the Bengals also landing franchise quarterback Joe Burrow in that very same draft and Ja’Marr Chase one year later, the Bengals had a cheap, cost-controlled core that made them one of the most dangerous teams in football.
Unfortunately for Cincinnati, that window of opportunity is starting to close. Tee Higgins is set to be a free agent, and most reporters believe that the Bengals will use the franchise tag to keep him around for at least one more season. Cincinnati wants Higgins to be a Bengal for the foreseeable future, but they might not be able to afford him. Because of this, Sports Illustrated‘s Albert Breer believes the Bengals could trade Tee Higgins in the coming weeks.
“I’d say Higgins and [Panthers pass rusher Brian] Burns could be tag-to-trade candidates. In Burns’s case, it’s because he and the Panthers haven’t been close to a long-term agreement over the last couple years. In Higgins’s case, it’s because the Bengals have a bigger deal for Ja’Marr Chase on the horizon”
Breer: Cincinnati Bengals Could Tag and Trade Tee Higgins
Nobody ever wants to lose a player as good as Tee Higgins, which is why the Bengals are using the franchise tag in the first place. While there are some long-term ramifications for handing out a multi-year deal, the team can afford to keep him around in 2024. Right now, Cincinnati has $61.38 million in cap space, and they can get more by cutting someone like Joe Mixon.
However, there are two major hurdles here. First off, nobody knows if Tee Higgins would even play on the franchise tag. The Clemson product missed five games to injury last year, and another injury-plagued campaign could hurt his long-term earnings. He won’t want to play on a one-year deal, even if it is for roughly $21.6 million.
Secondly, even if Tee Higgins is willing to play on the franchise tag, do the Bengals want to be in this same situation next year? Cincinnati could probably get a first-round pick for Higgins, and this draft class is loaded with talent at wide receiver. While there is no such thing as a 100% safe bet in the NFL Draft, they could use that pick to get another cost-controlled playmaker for a fraction of the cost. Is one year of Higgins worth missing out on that?
For the sake of argument, let’s assume Breer is right and the Bengals use the franchise tag to trade Tee Higgins. Even though this is a good wide receiver class, several teams with money to spare will be willing to give up a decent pick for a sure thing in Higgins.
Top Trade Destinations
Carolina Panthers
For better or worse, the fate of the Carolina Panthers rests in the hands of Bryce Young. First-year head coach Dave Canales did a remarkable job at bringing out the best in Geno Smith and Baker Mayfield, but any good coach will tell you that you can’t win games without good players. Young was put in a position to fail as a rookie, and now this team needs to find players who can help him succeed. Tee Higgins is probably the best wide receiver likely to be available, so if he’s available for trade via the franchise tag, that’s something the Panthers should look into.
Dallas Cowboys
Another year, another short-lived postseason run for the Dallas Cowboys. Jerry Jones is not getting any younger, and Mike McCarthy will not survive another disappointing playoff run. With this in mind, the team could move heaven and earth to acquire Tee Higgins on the franchise tag. CeeDee Lamb is a phenomenal player, but the Cowboys need a secondary target in this passing attack. Age has finally caught up to Brandin Cooks, and Michael Gallup is nothing more than an afterthought. Lamb is no Ja’Marr Chase, but these two would still form one of the best duos in the league. If Dallas can’t make it to the NFC Championship Game with this much talent, they’d need to blow everything up and start from scratch.
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are ahead of schedule in their post-Rodgers rebuild. After making the playoffs in Jordan Love’s first season, it’s time for this young roster to add some experienced veterans capable of lifting the roster to true Super Bowl contenders. Tee Higgins is a perfect candidate for the job, and the franchise tag candidate can be the top target this team needs. Romeo Doubs and Jayden Reed are solid players, but not superstars, and Christian Watson simply cannot stay healthy. Adding Higgins to the mix gives this offense the firepower it needs to compete with the elite teams in the NFC.
New Orleans Saints
How can the cap-strapped New Orleans Saints possibly afford to trade for Tee Higgins on the franchise tag? It’s impossible to say, but the Saints find a way to do it every single year, and 2024 will be no exception. Dennis Allen and Derek Carr both need strong seasons to keep their respective jobs, so there will be no rebuild this year. Chris Olave is one of the better young receivers in the game, but this team needs a better complementary receiver. Injuries have taken away what made Michael Thomas so good, and Rasheed Shahid is a one-trick pony. Higgins will give Carr a much-needed second target, and that might be enough to bring this team back to the playoffs for the first time since the Drew Brees Era.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver room is going to look different in 2024. Keenan Allen and Mike Williams are both possible cap casualties and Quentin Johnston showed absolutely nothing as a rookie, so trading for Tee Higgins on the franchise tag might be the ideal solution for this organization. The biggest question is whether or not the Bengals would trade Higgins within the conference. Even though the Chargers finished with a terrible record, you never want to count out Justin Herbert, especially now that he has a better head coach in Jim Harbaugh.
Main Photo: Kareem Elgazzar – USA Today Sports
