Perhaps nowhere more so than in Cincinnati, wide receiver Tee Higgins will be among the most sought-after players in 2024 free agency.
At the Senior Bowl, Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin talked about Higgins’ impending free agency. Tobin was realistic about the receiver’s market, even if he stated his wish to re-sign the four-year wideout to a long-term contract.
“Everyone on our team wants Tee Higgins back. Again, there’s one pie and how big of a slice that takes and what else we can’t do because of it, we’ll have to determine and we’ll see,” Tobin said on Tuesday at the Reese’s Senior Bowl.
This season, Higgins made 11 appearances and was third on the team in receiving yards (656). Higgins is ranked in the top 20 wide receivers in terms of receptions, yards, and receiving touchdowns since being selected in the second round (33rd overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft. (via StatHead)
As he approaches the final year of his rookie contract, there were doubts about his future with the Bengals last summer. Alternatively, Cincinnati might have traded him for something else, gaining assets in the process rather than risk losing Higgins and getting nothing in return.
Tobin, though, claimed he never gave that notion any thought.
“He was a guy that we drafted for that reason, to be a contributor for us… Trading a high-level player that’s under contract just because the future might demand it, that’s never really on mind,” said Tobin.
If Cincinnati gets outbid by another club for Higgins, it is fortunate that there are many of wide receivers available in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Twelve receivers are rated in the top 50 on Pro Football Focus’s big board. In the first three rounds of the draft, Tankathon selected 17 receivers, including Alabama wide receiver Jermaine Burton, who was selected by Cincinnati in the third round (80th overall).
Even if they hope they don’t have to, the Bengals will have plenty of chances to replace Higgins.
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