Bengals Officially Trade Starting WR to Rival Team in Shocking Move
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins will likely remain a topic of trade speculation leading up to the deadline, regardless of the team’s performance before November 5.
Higgins, tagged with the franchise designation, is expected to depart via free agency next summer. Even if the Bengals were performing better at 4-1 instead of 1-4, his name would still circulate due to the buzz around potential trades.
For instance, ESPN’s Ben Solak recently suggested that the Washington Commanders should pursue a trade for Higgins. This makes sense for Washington, as they have a promising rookie quarterback in Jayden Daniels and plenty of cap space to acquire a legitimate No. 1 receiver.
Solak also highlighted the Bengals’ current challenges: Bengals Officially Trade Starting WR to Rival Team in Shocking Move
“If that doesn’t happen, the Bengals need to seriously evaluate their team-building strategy. The Chiefs traded Tyreek Hill, and the Bills dealt Stefon Diggs; when your star quarterback on a rookie contract starts hitting the cap, sometimes you need to surround him with fewer costly veteran receivers. While Higgins is younger than those traded players, if Cincinnati isn’t prepared to pay him—similar to how the Commanders let go of Montez Sweat, the Giants moved on from Leonard Williams, and the Bears parted with Roquan Smith—they should consider trading him while there’s still value.”
While it’s highly unlikely the Bengals will trade Higgins, he has handled the contract situation well and possesses significant talent. There’s always a chance the front office will find a way to retain both him and Ja’Marr Chase long-term, especially considering how much Chase benefits when Higgins is on the field.
However, if the team falls to a 1-6 record, it would be wise for them to explore trade options, particularly since the defensive roster appears to be poorly constructed.
Higgins’ star status and the sobering reality of a 1-4 start will keep trade discussions active, more so than they might have been otherwise.
Leave a Reply