Tee Higgins must be extended by the Bengals, or else a dark future in Cincinnati becomes inevitable
The Cincinnati Bengals made a choice. The decision to draw a line in the sand so distinct between the front office and Trey Hendrickson led to a rare trade request being accepted. As reports emerged following the news, it's become apparent that the Bengals and Hendrickson's camp are so far apart that a trade is not […]
The Cincinnati Bengals made a choice. The decision to draw a line in the sand so distinct between the front office and Trey Hendrickson led to a rare trade request being accepted.
As reports emerged following the news, it's become apparent that the Bengals and Hendrickson's camp are so far apart that a trade is not only possible, but likely at this point. Suitors are lining up and the Bengals may have their choice of which team gives them the best compensation in return.
Once this becomes the official path Cincinnati heads down, the choice to not give Hendrickson the deal he wants (and deserves) leads to a simple fact. Tee Higgins must get his new deal from the Bengals.
There is no gray area here, no alternative option.
The Bengals have to get Higgins done. Period.
When reality sets in, the situation has a visceral feel to it. What was once a plan drawn up by the Bengals to extend all three of Joe Burrow's elite teammates has already seen a pivot with Hendrickson. Whether or not this pivot was expected remains to be clear, but it makes things feel different nonetheless.
Hendrickson is 30 years old and was the best member of a bad defense. Both are true. I wouldn't personally use either bullet point against him in negotiations, but the Bengals surely used at least one when making their offers to him; offers that had him choosing to see what else is out there for him.
Will excuses also pop up if an impasse is found with Higgins? Possibly, but the Bengals won't receive any form of grace if that's the case.
Higgins has been viewed differently throughout the last few months. From the moment the public knew of the team's internal change of heart to work something out all the way back in December, the now 26-year old receiver went from likely free agent to an untouchable asset grouped together, both in representation and in priority, with triple crown All-Pro Ja'Marr Chase.
Reiterating how the Bengals now view Higgins
Director of player personnel Duke Tobin made it emphatically clear at the NFL Scouting Combine. While his comments about Hendrickson's future left room for doubt, confidence and optimism were the definitive takeaways from his remarks about Higgins.
“I think Tee Higgins is a fantastic football player and I want him on my football team. Whenever I’m in charge of a football team, I want Tee Higgins. So I’m going to do what I can to get Tee Higgins."
“We’re trying to reward him for what he’s done and what we think he will do going forward for us. We think we have a pretty clear vision of what that is, and what some comps around the league look like."
"We feel like we’ve got our arms around it. It’s just a matter of if they’re seeing things in a different light. We want a long-term deal.”
“I’m optimistic until there’s reason not to be. I’ve always been optimistic with Tee, and I want a long-term deal. He fits with us and we fit with him. It’s a great match.”
10 toes on the ground, not a single ounce of hesitation. All of it matches both reporting and private conversations surrounding the topic. The Bengals flat out wrote it in internet ink when they placed the franchise tag on him.
The Bengals today designated WR Tee Higgins as the team's franchise player, with the intent of continuing to work toward a long-term deal in Cincinnati. – Bengals.com
Tobin may not handle the negotiations directly, but as the spokesperson for the people with that responsibility, he made it crystal clear what their intent is with Higgins.
Again, that intent should only be emphasized with how things are going with Hendrickson.
And it should be held to a higher standard of accountability if things go awry.
Failing to reach a deal with Higgins is pouring gas on an open flame
I typically find fans losing their minds online to be humorous. In the grand scheme of the offseason, things may not happen in the desirable order, but by the time Week 1 rolls around, the roster is set and the fresh feel of a new season takes over.
Crashing out is 100% warranted if the Bengals and Higgins are unable to find common ground very soon.
On the surface, failing with Higgins means the Bengals failed to extend two of the three players they set out to pay. Chase becomes the last one left on the table.
Descend beneath the surface to find even worse futures.
If Higgins realizes his future is not in Cincinnati, he's likely to request a trade one final time. Playing on the tag a second time should not be in the cards for him. Taking the high road through another grueling training camp without any future stability would be inadvisable when a plethora of teams would be willing to give him exactly what he wants.
Here's the fun part: I have no idea if the Bengals would grant the request like they did with Hendrickson. I lean towards no at the moment, which would only deteriorate the situation even more.
Higgins made the decision to be represented by the same agent, Rocky Arceneaux, whom represents Chase. How is Chase going to feel that his partner in crime was disrespected, again, by the team looking to reward him at the same time? Chase already went through an offseason not getting what he wanted from the team. What sort of goodwill would they have to use to appease him? Even if they shifted their focus entirely to him, he'd be well within his rights to raise his asking price knowing their cash isn't going to used on both of them.
And then there's the quarterback.
Burrow has pounded the table for Higgins more than anyone else to get his deal. It was his initial comments following the team's Monday night victory in Dallas that kickstarted everything in the public eye. He continued to deliver that message to anyone who put a microphone in his face for the next three months.
If there's a timeline in which Burrow loses faith in the Bengals and wants out, it begins with the Bengals fumbling Higgins one final time. It's a domino effect that has entirely regrettable outcomes.
The only reason I'm writing any of this is because I genuinely don't know if that domino is about to fall down or not.
There's still time to avoid all of this. The Bengals are said to be working on Higgins and Chase simultaneously and would prefer to finalize things before the new cap dollars are spent in free agency next week. Consider that a firm deadline before the landscape for both deals may change due to other deals impacting their markets.
Cincinnati's future depends on getting this right. No one in the city wants to walk down the darkest timeline, but it gets closer and closer the longer Higgins remains unsigned.
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