Key Takeaways:
– Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver, Tee Higgins, has expressed his discord with the team through a thinly veiled social media post.
– Higgins is yet to sign his franchise tender, rendering him ineligible to join the Bengals’ organized team activities (OTAs).
– Despite his profitability in a potential trade, Bengals might face difficulties in terms of competitiveness without Higgins.
– The team’s 2024 NFL Draft decision implicitly revealed their concerns over the wide receiver position.
Tee Higgins, Talented Wide Receiver Amid Contract Dispute
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver, Tee Higgins, has been at odds with his team over a controversial contract dispute. In recent developments, Higgins decided to forgo subtlety and took to social media platform X on May 21 to voice his side of the matter. His post read, “Folks calling me out my name is crazy work,” showcasing his puissant command over subtweeting.
His post’s timing, merely a day after ESPN’s Adam Schefter highlighted Higgins’ refusal to sign the franchise tender, adds more weight to the unfolding situation. Schefter’s tweet spelled out the implications of Higgins’ actions, noting his ineligibility to return to the Bengals for their upcoming OTAs unless the contract was signed.
With the franchise tag placed on Higgins since February 26, offering an estimated earning of approximately $21.8 million in 2024, it’s no surprise that the situation is tense. Having faced rejection from the Bengals on his contract extension demands, Higgins has called for a trade more than once.
Higgins, a Potential Asset on the Trade Market
Should the Bengals entertain the idea of trading Higgins, he would undoubtedly be a sought-after asset on the market. Any team needing a primary or secondary wide receiver would likely consider making an offer for this talented player. However, the Bengals would face a significant competitiveness problem if they decided to let Higgins go.
Without Higgins, the Cincinnati team’s chances at triumph noticeably dwindle. The quarterback, Joe Burrow, adds credence to this claim. After missing the last seven games due to a wrist injury in 2023, Burrow is returning for the upcoming season. When both Burrow and Higgins are on form, their combined talents create a formidable and dynamic duo.
In fact, when Burrow and Higgins have shared the field over two seasons, they’ve delivered impressive stats. With a healthy Burrow, Higgins scored back-to-back seasons of at least 70 receptions and over 1,000 receiving yards in 2021 and 2022. The pair’s impressive career together was further highlighted in a series of playoff games over the same period.
Subpar Season in 2023 a Result of Injuries
However, it wasn’t all roses for Higgins in 2023. Equipped with a less auspicious record due to his own physical tensions, Higgins’ performance dropped considerably. The star missed five games due to his injuries, and without the backup of Burrow, saw his season stats plummet.
Despite the disadvantaged season, there were glimmers of Higgins’ prowess. His top performance of the year came in a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, where even in a bitter loss, Higgins boasted 140 receiving yards and made eight receptions.
Bengals Make Proactive Moves in 2024 NFL Draft
Acknowledging their weakness at the wide receiver position, the Bengals made a proactive decision in the 2024 NFL draft, opting for Alabama’s Jermaine Burton. With impressive stats both at Georgia and Alabama, Burton is anticipated to invigorate the team’s offense.
It is clear that the Bengals and their fans will be eagerly watching to see how these recent developments unfold, and what the delays to Tee Higgins’ contract might mean for the team’s future.