Tee Higgins was seen as one of the best extensive receiver out there in free company earlier than the Cincinnati Bengals used the franchise tag on him. Reviews on the time instructed the Bengals wished a couple of extra months to attempt to negotiate a long-term take care of their No. 2 wideout. It appears Higgins doesn’t really feel the identical approach, and on Monday the previous LSU star requested a commerce out of Cincy– revealing, within the course of, that the Bengals by no means really tried to carry long-term extension talks with him.

Other than being a horrible search for the Bengals, a franchise already struggling to beat the “too low cost to compete” allegations, this has develop into a really intriguing state of affairs. Higgins asking out was all the time going to draw events and lead to gives, however the truth that Cincinnati doesn’t wish to signal him long-term means they’re much more more likely to really commerce him. It is now clear they solely used the franchise tag as a result of they did not wish to let HIggins stroll for nothing. Now they’ve the chance to get one thing in return and his worth will most likely by no means be greater.

The query, then, is how good that return might be. Higgins is a Professional Bowl expertise who has by no means had the prospect to be the No. 1 receiver. Paying for his spectacular manufacturing is one factor (two 1,000 yard seasons in 4 years and a median of six touchdowns per season) however groups are additionally paying to mission how good he’ll be with exta defensive consideration and targets. They will even have to surrender a draft choose after which signal Higgins to a market-level extension, which might be round $25-$30 million yearly. It is a fairly vital funding for Higgins– however one a couple of groups can be comfortable to make. High quality wideouts with years of above-average manufacturing who’re solely 25 years-old are hardly ever out there in at the moment’s NFL.

The place will Higgins find yourself? Listed here are a couple of potentialities.

The Patriots simply hit Higgins BINGO!, because it have been. They’re in dire want of receiving expertise; their finest wideout on the roster proper now could be Kendrick Bourne, who tore his ACL in October. They do not have a ton of additional draft picks however the ones they do have are close to the highest of the draft order because of their horrific 2023 season. They usually have a butt-ton of money to burn, with over $100 million in cap area heading into the beginning of free company. If there was any staff that might afford to surrender a second or third-round choose for Higgins after which signal him to a giant deal, it is the Patriots.

Whether or not or not New England pulls this off is solely depending on their draft plans. In the event that they’d reasonably cling on to each choose they have and attempt to discover a Higgins-esque wideout (which is certianly attainable given Higgins himself was a second-round choose) then they will not give one as much as pay Higgins once they may discover comparable manufacturing on a rookie contract. The Pats may be planning to take Marvin Harrison Jr. with their high choose in April. We cannot know what they wish to do till they do it however regulate them as a Higgins suitor as a result of they’ve the means and motives to a level few different potential commerce companions have.

The Chiefs are clearly going to be on each listing as a candidate for an out there extensive receiver after absolutely the catastrophe that unfolded on the place final season. After all it did not find yourself mattering they usually received one other Tremendous Bowl however it’s plain that Kansas Metropolis wants extra expertise within the wideout room. And it is onerous to get a lot sweeter than swooping in and taking Higgins from the Bengals, a staff that has grown to be as near a rival as Patrick Mahomes has seen in his profession to this point.

Which can also be why the Bengals may balk at pulling off a take care of KC. Giving a postseason rival a terrific receiver, even for a first-round choose, just isn’t sensible administration. However Cincy clearly cares concerning the backside line over every little thing in order that they is likely to be keen to do it anyway. Plus, the Chiefs already had an opportunity to dedicate a ton of their cap area to a high-end receiver in Tyreek Hill and selected to commerce him away as a substitute, a philosophy validated by the rings they received final month. Cannot depend them out of any WR sweepstakes, although.

CJ Stroud is formally superior and free company is the primary alternative for the Texans to make sure he will get as a lot assist as attainable. What higher approach to take action than to commerce for Higgins? He is a special form of receiver than Tank Dell and would type an amazing two-headed monster with Nico Collins on the skin. Houston is projected to have north of $60 million to work with in free company, so buying and selling after which signing Higgns would nonetheless depart them with a bunch of cash to enhance the roster round them.

The first hold-up right here is the Texans’ choose choice. They’ve the No. 23 total choose, which is certainly too excessive to surrender for Higgins, after which the No. 59 total choose, which can be too low for the Bengals if the Patriots, Cardinals or Panthers have an interest. Higgins can be nice for the Texans they usually’d certainly be glad to have him– the deal simply must be proper for Cincinnati.