Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins requests trade right before free agency ensues
The Cincinnati Bengals are about to begin agreeing to terms with free agents, and wide receiver Tee Higgins decided now's the time to drop a bombshell.Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, Higgins has requested a trade from Cincinnati. Tee Higgins and the Bengals remain far apart on a new contract Schefter reports than the Bengals haven't talked […]
The Cincinnati Bengals are about to begin agreeing to terms with free agents, and wide receiver Tee Higgins decided now's the time to drop a bombshell.
Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, Higgins has requested a trade from Cincinnati.
Tee Higgins and the Bengals remain far apart on a new contract
Schefter reports than the Bengals haven't talked to Higgins about an extension since March of last year, which is the crux of Higgins' discontent.
By all accounts, the Bengals were in talks with Higgins throughout last offseason, but never came close to reaching a new deal.
Schefter including that bit of information likely comes from Higgins' camp, frustrated that they haven't made any progress with Cincinnati.
The timing here is also interesting as it goes right up against the start of legal tampering for free agency. Trading Higgins would free up over $20 million in cap space for the Bengals, and keeping him throughout the first few waves of player signings would likely limit what they could do in terms of spending in comparison.
This is likely the reason why Higgins' camp dropped this news to Schefter now; to force the Bengals' hand in making a decision they don't want to make.
Will the Bengals actually trade Higgins?
Cincinnati wants to keep Higgins, at least for the 2024 season. He's one of the offense's best players, and is a key component towards Joe Burrow's success. The Bengals have also been historically resistant towards trading their own players.
On the other hand, Higgins would net the Bengals quality draft capital in a trade, and he'd be a prime candidate to sit out for all offseason activities this Summer, disrupting the Bengals' preparations for a Super Bowl run.
The Bengals dealt with a trade request last year when Jonah Williams was blindsided by the signing of left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. Williams eventually rescinded his request and handled a move to right tackle.
Will the Bengals hold strong again with Higgins? Odds point to yes, unless they get an offer they can't refuse.
Predicting the Cincinnati Bengals’ notable free agent signings at their biggest positions of need
These are the players and positions Cincinnati will focus its attention and money on this week.
