Bengals Should Not Lower Asking Price for Tee Higgins amid Latest NFL Trade Rumors

Tee Higgins has spent his entire four-year NFL career with the Cincinnati Bengals, who utilized the franchise tag on the 25-year-old wide receiver last month. Either he'll stay in Cincinnati for the 2024 season, or he'll be traded.

If it's up to Higgins, his time with the Bengals would soon be coming to an end.

ESPN's Adam Schefter recently reported that Higgins has requested to be traded out of Cincinnati. The reason why he wants to be moved is because there haven't been any discussions between him and the team regarding a potential extension since March 2023, per the report.

Even though Higgins wants to be traded, it doesn't mean he will be dealt. And it appears the Bengals won't be willing to just give him away for a small return.

NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported during an appearance on Speak on FS1 that it would likely take a second-round draft pick (or maybe a third-rounder) for Cincinnati to part with Higgins. Because of that, a move doesn't seem too likely.

"I would anticipate that he plays on the tag," Schultz said. "I don't think he's going to be traded."

If Higgins isn't happy in his current situation, it could make sense for the Bengals to trade him. At the same time, their asking price seems fair, and they shouldn't budge any lower at this point.

Early in his career, Higgins showed a ton of potential. He recorded between 908 and 1,091 receiving yards in each of his first three seasons. He also scored 19 total touchdowns during that span.

Last year, Higgins was limited to 12 games due to a hamstring injury. Still, he had 42 catches for 656 yards and five touchdowns.

As long as Higgins can stay healthy, he has the potential of developing into a top-tier playmaker. The Bengals' offense can be stacked when it has him, quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase on the field together.

Perhaps Higgins and Cincinnati will work out a long-term deal, which appears to be a primary concern for him moving forward. If not, he'll have to play on the franchise tag to prove that he's worthy of a big contract (from either the Bengals or another team) after coming off the injury.

In the meantime, it could make sense for Cincinnati to continue to talk to other teams about a potential Higgins trade. But he's worth at least a second- or third-round draft pick, even if he is set to become an unrestricted free agent following the 2024 season.

The Bengals shouldn't budge, especially because there will be teams that could get desperate to add an impact wide receiver as the offseason continues.