Bengals are inching closer to receiving a big boost that would make life much easier against the Bills
Promising news for Tee Higgins and the Bengals.
The Cincinnati Bengals won last week without wide receiver Tee Higgins, but would prefer always having No. 5 out there catching passes from Joe Burrow alongside Ja’Marr Chase.
Higgins missed Cincinnati’s Week 13 victory over the Baltimore Ravens due to a concussion he suffered a few days earlier, and it sounds like he’s on track to returning this Sunday for the Bengals’ must-win road game against the Buffalo Bills.
“He’s working through,” head coach Zac Taylor said of Higgins Wednesday. “Making progress.”
Progress for Higgins is taking steps to clear the concussion protocol. Higgins will be limited to start the week of practice, per Taylor, and only when he clears the protocol can he be a full participant.
Bengals can get their trio of stars back on the field this week
It’s been well over two months since Burrow, Chase, and Higgins have all played in the same game together. Burrow suffered his turf tow injury during Cincy’s Week 2 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. 128 of Chase’s 165 yards on the day came from Browning, and Higgins’ 42-yard touchdown was also thrown by the Bengals’ backup quarterback at the time.
The last full game with all three players happened in Week 1, and the passing game was an abject nightmare against the Cleveland Browns. You really have to go back to last year to remember what this offense looks like at its best with Burrow and his top two weapons playing at their best.
Burrow threw for 1,581 yards and 13 touchdowns to just four interceptions during Cincinnati’s five-game win streak to end the 2024 season. Chase had 48 receptions for 566 yards and four touchdowns while Higgins posted 30 receptions, 353 yards, and four touchdowns himself. There’s a reason why the club made an effort to keep all three in the same uniform.
Higgins is not guaranteed to play this week, but practicing at all is a good sign toward his eventual return. His last game against the Bills was a memorable one when he caught eight passes for 110 yards on “Sunday Night Football” in Week 9 of the 2023 season. He’s only crossed the century mark once this year, but he’s on track to play in more games this year than either of the last two seasons.
Tee Higgins 2025 stats
- 40 receptions
- 575 yards
- 7 touchdowns
Rookie running back Tahj Brooks, who also suffered a concussion in Week 12, is also working through the protocol and will be a limited participant in Wednesday’s practice.