Higgins was placed under the franchise tag by the Bengals in February in order to keep him from becoming a free agent. If he accepts the one-year tender, his guaranteed share of $21.8 million for 2024 will be paid.
But when Cincinnati tagged the 25-year-old, a trade might have been the ultimate goal in mind. Schefter’s reporting, which indicates that there has been no progress on an extension, supports that notion.
Nothing would prevent Cincinnati from effectively calling Higgins’ bluff. He stands to lose too much by forgoing an eight-figure contract and missing an entire season, so it’s likely that he will show up by the regular season.
However, putting his desired result on the table might serve as the impetus for genuine trade talks between the Bengals and a potential suitor. Now that he’s willing to move out of Cincinnati, it’s obvious.
The Cincinnati Enquirer’s Kelsey Conway pointed out that the request was made less than two hours before the deadline for negotiations between teams and free agents opened. Higgins and his agents are presumably optimistic that he will be able to begin assessing his worth in the NFL.
It will cost money to make a trade. To complete the trade, Higgins will also be sending the Bengals one or more important assets, valued at $18.6 million according to Spotrac.
The gambit might be worthwhile for a player who has averaged 63.5 receiving yards per game and 24 touchdowns over the course of four seasons, depending on the eventual cost.
