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If he gets his way, Tee Higgins will be playing his football somewhere other than Cincinnati next season. The Bengals wideout has requested a trade, according to CBS Sports lead NFL insider Jonathan Jones, because the team has not had any discussion with him about a long-term contract extension.
The Bengals placed the franchise tag on Higgins ahead of the start of free agency. He is set to make $21.8 million on the tag, but of course, that provides him with only a one-year deal.
Selected near the top of the second round in the same draft where the Bengals landed franchise quarterback Joe Burrow, Higgins was at first the top target for the Pro Bowl quarterback and then later the No. 2 pass-catcher behind Ja’Marr Chase. He’s caught 257 passes for 3,684 yards and 24 touchdowns in his four NFL seasons, with his best years coming in 2021 and 2022, when he racked up 74 catches for over 1,000 yards in each season, along with a total of 13 touchdowns. He struggled with injuries and inefficiency in 2023, but at 25 years old, his best football should still be ahead of him.
Any team looking for wide receiver help would presumably be interested in his services, as he has shown an ability to be a top-flight option in a top-flight passing game. The Bengals are of course not required to trade Higgins despite the request, but deals often come to fruition for players in similar situations.
Non-Bengals teams are allowed to contact Higgins starting Wednesday, and when he gets an idea of what his market could have been, he might be even more upset about receiving the tag. Another team can sign him and send two first-round picks to the Bengals in return, or Cincinnati could work out a deal for a different level of compensation.
If he finds the trade he wants, Higgins will also likely land a significant long-term contract near the top of the market, which could affect future extension talks for…
Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/tee-higgins-landing-spots-wr-requests-trade-from-bengals-after-no-progress-on-long-term-deal/
Author : Jared Dubin
Publish date : 2024-03-11 15:15:39
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