Bengals Exec Calls out 'Ridiculous' Tee Higgins Trade Rumors: 'Not on My Mind'

The Cincinnati Bengals have reportedly been receiving interest from teams looking to trade for wide receiver Tee Higgins, but the franchise has no intentions of dealing him away.

While speaking to reporters at the NFL combine on Tuesday, Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin vehemently shot down rumors that the team would be willing to part ways with Higgins, saying a trade for him is "not on my mind":

Higgins is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and it will surely cost a lot to keep a player of his caliber in the fold. The 24-year-old has recorded at least 900 receiving yards in each of his three seasons in the NFL, surpassing the 1,000-yard mark in both 2021 and 2022.

While it's understandable that the Bengals would want to hold onto Higgins, the team has other players that will need to be addressed. Most notably, quarterback Joe Burrow is also eligible for a contract extension this offseason. After the 2023 campaign, star wideout Ja'Marr Chase will become eligible for an extension.

Tobin has a tough task ahead of him to try to keep Cincinnati's core intact, but there's a chance Higgins makes things easy for him. Earlier this month, the Clemson product said, "I plan on being in Cincinnati for a while" in response to his involvement in trade rumors. If Higgins and others are willing to take less money, it will aid the Bengals' chances of keeping the band together.

After coming off back-to-back deep postseason runs, Cincinnati has established itself as a title contender in the AFC. It will be imperative for the Bengals to hold on to their best players like Higgins if they want to maintain that status for years to come.