NEWSLETTER
The NFL negotiation window opens at 11 a.m. CT, but the rumor mill is already spinning with news from ESPN’s Adam Schefter about Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins requesting a trade.
Maybe this is an attempt from Higgins’ camp to nudge the Bengals toward an extension. Or, perhaps, this request is the first step toward leaving Cincinnati:
If you’ll recall, Tee Higgins was the first player to get the Franchise Tag placed on him earlier in the offseason. The tag will pay Higgins $21.8 million in 2024, but it sure seems like he’d rather get a long-term deal done than play on the tag. Hence, the trade request.
Higgins is a pretty rad receiver. Sure, he is coming off an underwhelming 42-catch, 656-yard, 5-touchdown season in Cincy. But he had back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons in 2021 and 2022. And as a rookie in 2020, Higgins snagged 67 passes, gained 908 receiving yards, and scored 6 touchdowns. There are a bunch of teams that could use someone like Higgins on their roster. One such team is the Chicago Bears, who are expected to show interest in Higgins if he does reach the market.
Watch out for the Bears in a possible Tee Higgins trade
Back in February, NBC Sports Chicago’s Josh Schrock caught up with Higgins during Super Bowl week. Higgins’ status came up as a topic of conversation. As you might expect, Higgins had a boilerplate type of answer when discussing his upcoming free agency:
“So we want to keep it together as long as we can,” Higgins told NBC Sports Chicago. “But right now, I’m in a predicament where it’s out of my control, you know, especially with the tag. So, you know, whatever happens, happens right now. And then, you know, if I want a hit free agency and, you know, whenever the free agency hits, then it’ll be a market trial. Right? And so I got nothing. I can’t do anything until then.”
That is par for the course when it comes to these types of statements in situations like this one. But it is the next graf that caught my eye and had me bookmark this post for a later date (which happens to be today!):
If the Bengals are open to trading Higgins this offseason, the Bears would be expected to, at the very least, kick the tires on what trade compensation and a long-term contract for Higgins would look like.
Even after signing cornerback Jaylon Johnson to an extension and reeling in safety Kevin Byard on a two-year deal, the Bears still enter the new league year with more than $62.7 million worth of space under the cap. After years of watching this franchise invest over and over again on the defensive side of the ball, it would be neat to see them dump some money into the offense.
With no depth behind D.J. Moore, Higgins becomes a worthwhile option to explore if the Bears want to upgrade at the position. Because whether it is Justin Fields or Caleb Williams slinging it for Chicago, there is no denying that this offense needs more explosive weapons on the outside. Teaming Higgins and Moore with Cole Kmet would make for a fun-as-heck passing attack. And should the Bears reset the quarterback contract clock by choosing Williams over Fields, then the team could very well have more than enough wiggle room to afford two high-salaried receivers on the roster.
There is still so much to hash out. After all, just because Higgins requested a trade doesn’t mean the Bengals would grant that wish. Also, ironing out a deal isn’t necessarily easy. Then again, the Jarvis Landry trade in 2018 while he was on the tag gives us an idea of how that could work out. So stay tuned. Business is about to pick up.
