Albert Breer: Bengals Are 'Better Off' Trading Tee Higgins Before 2023 NFL Draft If Deal Isn't Done

The Bengals can sign Higgins to a contract extension this offseason.

CINCINNATI — Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer gave his thoughts on the Tee Higgins trade ideas getting floated so far this season.

The MMQB columnist thinks the Bengals should try and get a deal done with Higgins before the draft. If that doesn't happen, they'd be "better off" trading him and drafting his replacement with one of the first-round picks they get back.

"The Bengals are going to get inquiries on Tee Higgins for the same reason the Titans, 49ers, Commanders, and Seahawks did on their young receivers last year," Breer wrote. "Higgins is going into a contract year and will be expensive to keep. Compounding the problem for Cincinnati is that Ja’Marr Chase will be eligible for a new deal next year.

"So the question, to me, isn’t if you want Higgins on your team (you do). It’s whether you can sign him. And if you can’t, you would be better off with Jordan Addison, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, or Quentin Johnston, with the pick you’d get in a trade, for the length of a rookie deal than Higgins for one more year."

This take makes a lot more sense if the calendar read 2024, not 2023. No receiver in this class is close to the level of player Higgins is right now.

Nor are they as good as he was coming out of Clemson.

Secondly, I might be missing something, but the Bengals have never in team history traded a player of Higgins caliber while they are still under full team control. Higgins is not guaranteed to leave in just one year either—it would be shocking if Cincinnati didn't franchise tag him next offseason, should a deal not get done.

They could then trade Higgins for a similar haul. Regardless, it would be truly shocking if the Bengals flipped from the AllBengals reporting and traded Higgins in 2023.

For more on the Bengals, watch the video below and subscribe to our YouTube Channel. Get Your Bengals Tickets From SI Tickets HERE.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QN8gVRBgzzM

Make sure you bookmark All Bengals for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

You May Also Like:

2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Should Bengals Target UCLA Running Back Zach Charbonnet?

Germaine Pratt Comments On Playing Time Again As Free Agency Approaches

Taylor Lewan Wants to Block for Joe Burrow: 'I Know the Bengals Need a Left Tackle'

ESPN's Bill Barnwell Says Signing Jessie Bates III Should Be Bengals First Key Offseason Move

Bengals Select Oklahoma Offensive Tackle Anton Harrison In Draft Network, PFF Mock Drafts

Watch: NFL Picks Out Bengals 10 Best Plays From 2022-23 Season

Trey Wingo Shares Joe Burrow Story Portraying His Steely Mentality Dating Back To Grade School

Tight End or Cornerback Could Make Sense For Bengals in Round One of 2023 NFL Draft

2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Is Texas RB Bijan Robinson a Good Fit For Cincinnati Bengals' Offense?

Bengals Prospect Breakdown: Israel Abanikanda Could Bring Juice to Running Back Room

Bengals Re-Sign Long Snapper Cal Adomitis For 2023-24 Season

Watch: NFL Ranks Joe Burrow's Top Ten Plays From 2022-23 Season

A Look Ahead: Cincinnati Bengals Offseason Predictions

Zac Taylor: They're Gonna Have To Carry Me Out Of' Cincinnati 'In A Casket'

-----

Be sure to keep it locked on All Bengals all the time!

Subscribe to the All Bengals YouTube channel

Follow AllBengals on Twitter: @AllBengals

Like Our FaceBook Page

Subscribe and follow the ONLY Daily Bengals Podcast

Follow on TikTok