Blinksportsnews247Tee Higgins was placed on the franchise tag by the Cincinnati Bengals, a move that might indicate a trade. Higgins has established himself as one of the league’s most dependable receivers since joining the NFL in 2020.
Throughout his four-year career, the former second-round choice has amassed over 1,000 yards in two seasons and has shown that he can be effective both with and without Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase. Despite having a favorable professional circumstance, he possesses the skills to be the starting wideout in the majority of offenses.
This is probably the reason the Bengals applied the franchise tag to the 219-pound, 6-foot-4 wide receiver. In the pass-happy NFL of today, one can never have too many good receivers, and Cincinnati was never going to let him depart for free. Using the franchise tag in a vacuum is meaningless, but one aspect of this narrative strongly suggests the Bengals are trying to transfer Tee Higgins instead of agreeing to a new deal.
Teams can use the franchise tag window to select any player they want until March 5th. The window opened on February 20th. In the past, most teams have preferred to deploy the tag as late as possible in order to extend their negotiation window. The Bengals may have known they were significantly more likely to move Tee Higgins than to extend him if they had taken this action.
There May Be a Tee Higgins Trade Soon
The Cincinnati Bengals have effectively informed the rest of the league that they have no intention of extending their star wide receiver by using the franchise tag at this time. After all, why would Cincinnati bother with the tag if they didn’t have to if the two parties were close to reaching an agreement? It makes sense that the team will trade Tee Higgins because they are unable to extend him.
Furthermore, Cincinnati’s salary cap circumstance opens the door for a Tee Higgins move. Since Higgins hasn’t formally accepted his franchise tag, the Bengals’ cap room is currently $74.3 million. With that much financial flexibility, Cincinnati could afford to retain Higgins for one additional season. Nevertheless, this team might not have the long-term financial stability to sign Higgins given that Joe Burrow’s cap charge is expected to increase and Ja’Marr Chase is expected to receive a significant salary.
A trade for Tee Higgins may yield a substantial return for the Bengals as well. The Clemson product is a starting receiver in a league that doesn’t have enough talented players to go around, even though he isn’t Jerry Rice.
Potential Locations
Panthers of Carolina
Without a doubt, the team most likely to trade for Tee Higgins is the Carolina Panthers. First-year head coach Dave Canales will have his work cut out for him in trying to turn this squad around following a terrible 2-15 season in which everything that could go wrong did go wrong. Trying to save Bryce Young, who had a disastrous rookie season in an even worse situation, is the first step in the rebuild. With his ability to succeed on the outside, Higgins is unquestionably this team’s greatest receiver, and he complements Young’s style of play in college. The Panthers ought to give it some thought if they can acquire him for the 33rd selection.
Arizona Cardinals
With a shaky Kyler Murray at quarterback last season, the Arizona Cardinals performed admirably, and Jonathan Gannon has the potential to turn things around in 2024. They will first need to locate a suitable DeAndre Hopkins replacement if they wish to accomplish that. Tee Higgins and the Cardinals may easily trade one of their choices for Tee Higgins’ services because of their similar playing styles. The Cardinals can afford to trade one pick for a seasoned veteran because they have the most picks in the top 100 in the league.
The New York Giants
Daniel Jones is competent enough to provide support for a talented team, but he cannot carry a team to victory on his own. Regretfully, the offensive line of the New York Giants is among the least strong in the league. A trade for Tee Higgins might easily change that, as the current Bengal would be the team’s best receiver. It’s time to find a new quarterback if Jones is still unable to perform with Higgins catching passes.
The Kansas City Chiefs
Tee Higgins is a player the Kansas City Chiefs should trade for for all the right reasons. The Chiefs must locate a trustworthy outside wide receiver if they are to attempt a three-peat. It’s difficult to envision a scenario in which Higgins is ever faced with the Bengals’ greatest challenge in the AFC, though. Cincinnati might agree to the transaction if the Chiefs offer a huge premium over all other bidders, but it would require a significant overpay.
The New England Patriots
The New England Patriots will have a new quarterback in 2019, and they will need to upgrade their weaponry if they want him to be successful. Last season, Demario Douglas was the only player who appeared to belong on a football field; but, he is not the kind of player who can lead a passing offense. The addition of Tee Higgins through trade will provide a genuine chance for success for New England’s next quarterback, particularly if the team decides to use its $86.8 million in cap space to strengthen the offensive line.
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