It appears that Tee Higgins’ days with the Cincinnati Bengals may be coming to an end. The star wide receiver has requested a trade after contract extension talks have stalled, according to reports. This is a big change from last week, as it was suggested that Higgins could remain in Cincinnati, but now it appears a separation is inevitable.
No one should be taken by surprise by this series of events, as the proverbial clock started the moment that it was known that the Bengals could place the franchise tag on Higgins. And with the free agency legal tampering period beginning on Monday, the timing of the request is not a coincidence. Higgins and his representation wanted everyone to know that he was someone who could be available. Letting this information out now could allow a potential suitor to contact the Bengals if they miss out on a top option in free agency.
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Higgins’ request puts the Bengals in a tough spot. Last season did not go to plan, but it is not a mystery as to why. Joe Burrow suffered an injury in training camp, which had a ripple effect on the entire season. Burrow was never quite himself and would miss the final seven games of the season. The Bengals were hoping to give their current offensive group another go at returning to the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, that no longer seems possible, with HIggins’ trade request becoming public.
The biggest obstacle here is how the Bengals will handle this particular situation. This is an organization that has not accommodated similar requests in the past and could do so again. Perhaps this is a way for Higgins to get the Bengals to budge on a new contract, but that does not seem likely with this development.