Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins will soon hit free agency, and one prominent reporter believes the Los Angeles Chargers should pursue him. A second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Higgins spent the past five seasons establishing himself as one of the league’s most reliable perimeter threats. Blessed with a 6′-4″, 219-pound frame, Higgins is one of the best in contested catch situations and also possesses the speed and route-running prowess to separate from defenders.
While he’s no Ja’Marr Chase, the perennial 1,000-yard receiver should earn a record-breaking contract on the open market, and Mike Giardi of the Boston Sports Journal thinks the Los Angeles Chargers should make him an offer. Nobody should be surprised if the Chargers end up with Tee Higgins, but they won’t be the only team interested in his services.
Chargers have $74 million in cap space. They cut Pipkins and Bosa and save a crap ton. Extend Slater. Then go get Herbert a couple guys who can catch the football. Tee Higgins, if he's available, makes sense.
— Mike Giardi (@MikeGiardi) January 12, 2025
Reporter Begs Chargers To Pursue Tee Higgins After Disastrous Playoff Loss
The Los Angeles Chargers need another wide receiver in the worst way. While second-round pick Ladd McConkey is a star in the making, the jury is still out on the rest of the depth chart. 2023 first-round pick Quentin Johnston had the game of his life in the regular season finale, hauling in 13 receptions for 186 yards. Unfortunately, he followed it up with an all-time dud, failing to catch a single one of his five postseason targets.
Saturday’s loss shows what happens when Justin Herbert has an off day. The Oregon product had a rough day at the office, but all the non-McConkey pass-catching options only made his life worse. Dropping multiple passes and refusing to get open, the Chargers offense would open up with a legitimate boundary threat like Tee Higgins. As mentioned above, Los Angeles has the cap space to give him a market-setting deal, but would the run-obsessed Jim Harbaugh hand out that type of contract?
In short, yes. While Harbaugh prefers to win games in the trenches, he knows this team needs more talent at wide receiver. The Chargers tried to trade for Diontae Johnson at the deadline and put in a claim for his services after the Ravens cut him, which shows the Michigan champion isn’t happy with his current group of pass-catchers.
Other Fits
The New England Patriots have their quarterback of the future in UNC’s Drake Maye. Unfortunately, that’s all they have, as New England possesses the worst roster in football. Former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel appears destined to become New England’s next head coach, and he’ll probably target wide receivers in free agency. While he is a run-first mind, he knows how much a good receiver means to a team. The former linebacker was visibly distraught when the Titans traded A.J. Brown, and one could easily argue that the move cost him his job.
Mike Vrabel’s reaction to the AJ Brown trade 💀 #Titans #TitanUp pic.twitter.com/7nhU5MDnmZ
— Locker (@PlayLockerLive) December 5, 2024
The Carolina Panthers finished their season on a high note, and Bryce Young’s emergence down the stretch could entice a free agent like Tee Higgins to move down south. Youngsters Xavier Legette, Jalen Coker, and Ja’Tavion Sanders all showed promise as rookies but adding a legitimate WR1 like Higgins would be the best way to ensure Young continues to grow. While nobody would blame the Panthers for using all available resources on the defense, pairing Young with Higgins might give this offense the firepower they need to win a weak NFC South.
Main Photo: Sam Greene – USA Today Sports
