The Cincinnati Bengals don’t figure to trade star wide receiver Tee Higgins this offseason despite the early application of the franchise tag.
But the NFL is very much a never-say-never league, so it can’t be totally ruled out, either.
While Joe Burrow is a guy who wants Higgins back, if another team offers a first-round pick and frees the Bengals of needing to give him a top-of-market extension before they do the same for Ja’Marr Chase, the front office might just blink.
As of now, a July 15 deadline looms for the Bengals and Higgins to work out an extension. But between now and then sits free agency and the draft — and a host of teams have the need, capital and resources to at least make an interesting offer for Higgins.
Syndication: The Tennessean
Here’s an obvious one — former Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan is head coach of the Titans now. He knows Higgins better than most and also understands how important it is to have a No. 1 for a budding quarterback like Will Levis. He also happens to know the Bengals organization, so he might have an inside advantage, provided his team is willing to cough up the early second-rounder and then some.
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The 27th overall pick and some change might be enough to get it done. Plus, the Cardinals are an NFC team that needs to get the most out of big-money passer Kyler Murray.
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Coming off a season in which JuJu Smith-Schuster was the No. 1 wideout to brutal results, the Patriots are a complete unknown as far as direction and approach under a new head coach. Maybe that means going all-in on a veteran to help young quarterbacks, coughing up a big pick to the Bengals for Higgins.
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Is there a team more desperate for help at wideout? The Panthers don’t have a ton of resources to get a deal done, yet they were one of the most-mentioned teams for Higgins in free agency for a reason. A combination of future picks and a veteran player or two might just be able to it done.
Syndication: The Record
Can dysfunction work in Cincinnati’s favor? The Giants have huge money invested in Daniel Jones and are losing Saquon Barkley. Maybe they package the 39th pick and a veteran or other picks in a way that has the Bengals considering a deal?
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