For the Cincinnati Bengals, excitement is high as star quarterback Joe Burrow is back on the field ahead of the 2024 season following season-ending wrist surgery last year to repair a torn ligament. But with that comes some off-field drama for the team as the Bengals are still mired in the fallout from trade requests by wide receiver Tee Higgins and defensive end Trey Hendrickson.
Burrow, who signed a five year, $275 million extension last September making him one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in football, threw his support behind his teammates Tuesday during his first press conference with the media since returning to the field.
“Those guys have their business that they need to take care of. I support them in every way,” Burrow said of Higgins and Hendrickson, according to video via the Bengals’ YouTube page. “Both those guys have earned everything that’s come to them and more, so I’ll support them all the way through it. Whatever they feel like is best for their career, that’s for them and their agents and their families to decide.
“But we’re here to win football games. I really hope both those guys are here with us next year. ’cause we’re a better football team with both of them.”
Since adding Higgins in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft and Hendrickson in free agency, signing him away from New Orleans, the Bengals have been one of the better teams in football. Of course, it helps that they also added Burrow with the first pick of the 2020 NFL Draft in that same window, but Higgins and Hendrickson have been key pieces for the Bengals.
Since landing in Cincinnati, Higgins has turned into a star receiver, pairing with Ja’Marr Chase and 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.
Though he struggled with injuries last season, playing in just 11 games for the Bengals, Higgins hauled in 42 receptions for 656 yards and five touchdowns. Higgins had the franchise tag placed on him Feb. 23 and is set to earn $21.816 million this season, barring a long-term extension.
Those long-term extension conversations haven’t happened, which led to Higgins requesting a trade in early March, though he later stated that he expects to play in Cincinnati this season.
Hendrickson’s request was even more of a surprise.
It came after the standout pass rusher came out seeking a new contract to make more than the $15 million he’s due in 2024. He’s due a base salary of $15.8 million this year.
Last summer, Hendrickson signed a one-year extension, but he still remains outside of the 10 highest-paid EDGE defenders in football and is coming off of a 17.5-sack season. That led to the request.
While it throws the Bengals into a bit of a state of flux with two key contributors requesting trades, they have the full support of Burrow, even though he hopes both come back and help the Bengals try to win football games in 2024.
