The Bengals star wants out
Tee Higgins has reportedly requested a trade from the Cincinnati Bengals, sparking rumors that he could be set to join the Kansas City Chiefs. But his recent snub to Patrick Mahomes may suggest he envisions playing elsewhere if he does decide to leave his current team.
On Monday, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported that the wide receiver is keen to leave Cincinnati after the AFC North franchise failed to offer him a new long-term contract.
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That has left fans wondering where he could end up, although the Chiefs may not be on his potential list of destinations. Crucially, the Bengals don’t have to trade Higgins, despite his reported trade request, as he’s still under team control for another season due to his franchise tag of $21.8 million.
Only a few weeks ago, the wideout hinted at where his future could lie when discussing the four quarterbacks he’d love to one day play with, and Higgins named one of his close friends, Jacksonville Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence the priority pick.
“I would love to go play with my college quarterback, Trevor,” he said.
That is hardly a surprise given their dominant partnership. Higgins and Lawrence combined for more than 25 touchdowns and 2,000 yards in their two years spent together at Clemson and their chemistry could make them a dangerous pairing for the Jaguars.
In addition, Higgins said: “I would love to play with C.J. [Stroud]”, before including Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen and the Baltimore Ravens MVP, Lamar Jackson. But there was no room for Mahomes on his wishlist, despite the 28-year-old being arguably the NFL’s biggest name.
Higgins on the wanted list
Speculation is rife among NFL fans about where Higgins will end up, and he is unlikely to be short of options when the free agency begins on March 13, marking the start of the new league season.
He surpassed the 1,000 receiving yard mark in each of the past two seasons and would have likely repeated that feat in 2023-24 but for a hamstring injury, which ruled him out for several weeks, leaving him with 656 yards and 42 receptions.
He also scored five touchdowns for the Bengals, who ended the season with a 9-8 record and missed out on the playoffs accordingly.
