Just a few weeks after the Cincinnati Bengals placed the franchise tag on wide receiver Tee Higgins, the fourth-year receiver apparently wants out of Cincinnati.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Higgins requested a trade Monday morning as he is unhappy that the team has not had any contract talks with him dating back to March 2023.
Higgins had the franchise tag placed on him Feb. 23 and is set to earn $21.816 million on the tag this season, barring a long-term extension.
Since landing in Cincinnati as a second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Higgins has turned into a star receiver, pairing with Ja’Marr Chase and quarterback Joe Burrow in recent seasons to form a dynamic offense for the Bengals, one that helped lead Cincinnati to a Super Bowl appearance just a few seasons ago.
Higgins struggled with injuries last season, playing in just 11 games for the Bengals and finishing with 42 receptions for 656 yards and five touchdowns. He had a huge performance in Week 16 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, hauling in five passes for 140 yards and a touchdown, which was an 80-yard score to open the second half, though the Steelers went on to win the matchup in blowout fashion, 34-11.
In his career, the former Clemson star has caught 257 passes for 3,684 yards and 24 touchdowns. He had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2021 and 2022.
Higgins should have a robust market via trade should the Bengals move him ahead of the 2024 season. He turned 25 years old in January and has a great body of work at the position, serving primarily as a No. 2 option for the Bengals opposite Chase.
Previously, NFL insider Tony Pauline reported from the NFL Scouting Combine that the Bengals want a long-term deal with Higgins. However, according to Schefter’s report, no talks about a long-term deal have happened since March of last year.
