Bengals' Tee Higgins Trade Request: Jets Making Deal for Receiver?

The New York Jets need a receiver, and Cincinnati Bengals star Tee Higgins just became the best one on the market. Should general manager Joe Douglas make the call?

The Cincinnati Bengals have boasted one of the league’s most feared passing attacks, combining the likes of quarterback Joe Burrow with receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.

However, the cap constraints of the NFL have reminded fans time and time again that all good things must come to an end, and with the Bengals seemingly unwilling to make Higgins one of the sport’s highest-paid receivers. He has begun looking for greener pastures.

On Monday, Higgins officially requested a trade, potentially cutting his time in Cincinnati short. Should the New York Jets be interested?

Oct 31, 2021; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (85) catches the ball as New York Jets cornerback Bryce Hall (37) defends during the first half at MetLife Stadium / Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Unsurprisingly, Higgins is looking for long-term financial security, and in typical Bengals fashion, they aren’t rushing to make a strong offer.

“Bengals franchise WR Tee Higgins has requested a trade, per sources. Higgins loves Cincinnati and hoped to be with the team long term, but is disappointed that the team has not had any talks about a long-term contract extension since March 2023,” Adam Schefter tweeted. “He’s ready to move on to a new home.”

Higgins missed time this season with hamstring injuries but when he has been on the field, he’s been one of the more productive receivers in the sport. He caught 42 of his 76 targets this past season for 656 yards and five scores but has two 1,000-yard seasons to his name and has amassed 24 touchdowns in four professional seasons.

At 6-foot-3, 216 pounds, Higgins is a big-bodied field stretcher who wins at the catch point and is surprisingly strong after the catch. His well-rounded game blends well with virtually any team he’d potentially land with, but especially the Jets, who lack a threatening X receiver opposite Garrett Wilson.

From a pure needs-based perspective, few – if any – moves would make more sense. New York is in a win-now window with a glaring hole at receiver. However, concerns about the cost of both the trade and the contract may render general manager Joe Douglas gunshy.

If the Bengals are to trade Higgins, they’ll be looking for draft capital that New York probably can’t afford to offer. The Jets aren’t positioned to trade away the 10th overall pick and they don’t have a second-rounder to offer. Perhaps they could send over their 2025 first, but Cincinnati would be more inclined to accept a package including a late-first-round selection in this year’s draft instead.

From there, New York would have to sign him to a long-term deal without any semblance of leverage. Higgins’ skill set justifiably mitigates that risk, but paying him and Wilson may not be feasible. Is it worth dealing legitimate draft capital if it means a homegrown star doesn’t get a second contract?

That’s for Douglas to decide, but there’s no guarantee Higgins wants to play in proximity to the Big Apple, either. While one can argue the merits of Wilson or Higgins being the superior receiver, a move to the Jets risks once again living in the shadows of another star.

Additionally, Higgins recently listed quarterbacks he’d like to catch passes from. While hardly a definitive list, it’s no surprise that he listed teams viewed as potential landing spots – and didn’t name Aaron Rodgers.

“Obviously I want to play with Joe at the end of the day,” Higgins said. “Other than that, obviously I would love to go play with my college quarterback Trevor [Lawrence], I would love to play with C.J. Stroud, what he’s done this last season for his rookie season. And one more … Lamar [Jackson], Josh Allen, there’s a bunch of them that I’d like to play with.”

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Higgins’ talent is more than worthy of making the call. He’s an uber-talented target who fits their timeline and could put up even better numbers with an increased target share.

Even so, the likelihood that the Jets and Bengals strike agreeable compensation seems pretty slim, forcing New York to pivot to cheaper options and Higgins to look for a more aggressive competitor. 

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