Blinksportsnews247
I wouldn’t blame you if you had to perform a double take after reading that. The Cincinnati Bengals aren’t exactly pals with any of the AFC North teams, after all. The Pittsburgh Steelers are the Bengals’ primary divisional adversary, despite Baltimore’s recent uptick in performance thanks to MVP candidate Lamar Jackson’s successful regular season. The Steelers have had a string of enormous postseason collapses over the previous 20 years have made them formidable opponents. These two excellent franchises are definitely not at odds.
Pittsburgh has even considered making a trade for Tee Higgins, an exceptional wide receiver from Cincinnati, despite the long-standing rivalry between the two teams. Following their announcement that they will be assigning Higgins the franchise tag this offseason, Cincinnati is in a terrible situation with him. It does little to provide the Clemson product a long-term contract, even though it locks him in at a salary of $21.8 million.
Ezoic
Higgins expressed his displeasure with the situation on social media after the announcement and asked the organization for a trade. Sending him to the New York Giants or the New England Patriots would be the most sensible move, as it would provide Higgins his dream of being a top wide receiver while simultaneously keeping him out of Cincinnati’s sights.
Let’s now examine the circumstances in Pittsburgh following the addition of renowned quarterback Russell Wilson to help turn around the offense. In addition, the team lost star wide receiver Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers, meaning they lack a top receiver to complement George Pickens, a talented option. On paper, it appears that Higgins would be a fantastic fit to play in the Steel City the next season.
Now that we’ve discussed the theory underlying the choice, let’s get back to the real world. Cincinnati would never in a million years trade Higgins to a bitter rival. Given the already-established animosity between the groups, it would be a terrible PR nightmare. After Ben Roethlisberger retired in 2022, the rivalry may have entered a dormant phase, but it would be unprecedented in club history for Cincinnati to give a young team the last push to emerge as a serious contender.
On paper, that could seem like a terrific idea, but neither group would have the guts to suggest such a swap. The general manager who lost this trade would not be able to find employment for the foreseeable future, and the loser would be sneered at for the next ten years. Although Pittsburgh supporters would find it amusing to dream of it, there is just no chance that it will ever come to pass.
Blinksportsnews247
