One thing that could change up the landscape of the AFC North is the pending status of Cincinnati Bengals WR Tee Higgins. The team placed the franchise tag on him earlier this offseason, and Higgins subsequently requested a trade according to Adam Schefter. Higgins has been a large part of the Bengals’ receiving tandem opposite Ja’Marr Chase. In four seasons, Higgins has racked up 257 receptions on 403 targets for 3,684 yards and 24 touchdowns. His 2023 season was limited by a hamstring and rib injury, but he had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons prior to that.
Higgins was recently interviewed by WLWT’s Charlie Clifford posted on X, and said he anticipates playing for the Bengals in 2024.
“We’ll see,” Higgins said. “I do anticipate [playing for the Bengals in 2024]. Cinci has grown on me, I [got] love for Cinci that I didn’t think I would, but looking forward to it.”
This cools off the trade rumors that have been circulating about Higgins. The Steelers have an obvious need at WR, but it never seemed likely that a division rival would want to ship a quality receiver within the AFC North.
Higgins’ franchise tag is worth $21.816M on a fully guaranteed one-year deal. The Bengals have until July 15 to work out an extension with Higgins, or else he will play under the tag and be scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent next offseason in 2025.
Given the uncertainty surrounding Higgins’ status beyond 2024, the Bengals could be in the market for a wide receiver in this loaded WR class in the 2024 NFL Draft. They have reportedly held pre-draft visits with Washington WR Jalen McMillan and UTSA WR Josh Cephus. The Steelers are also in the market for a wide receiver, so they could be competing against each other in the draft with draft picks that are close together.
The Bengals pick two spots ahead of the Steelers in the first and second round, four spots ahead of them with the first pick of their two in the third round, and the spot before them at the end of the third round.
This makes two trade rumors for top receivers squashed in one day with Brandon Aiyuk’s agent shutting down a rumored trade request.
