Arkansas Bengal Posted January 31 Report Share Posted January 31 Kelsey Conway, Cincinnati Enquirer Tue, Jan 30, 2024, 8:06 PM CST·2 min read MOBILE, Ala. – Cincinnati Bengals director of personnel Duke Tobin spoke on a number of topics at Senior Bowl, including an update on where things stand with wide receiver Tee Higgins and his future with the franchise. Higgins, 25, is no longer under contract with the Bengals. Higgins and the Bengals were unable to reach an agreement on a long-term deal prior to the start of the 2023 season. A source close to the situation told The Enquirer in September the Bengals and Higgins never got close on an extension last offseason. Tobin made headlines with his comments on Higgins last year in late February at the NFL scouting combine when he said the franchise wasn't interested at the time in trading Higgins for future draft picks. This year, Tobin answered a question regarding Higgins a little differently due to a change in contract status. "Last year, Tee Higgins was under contract to us," Tobin said on Tuesday afternoon. "He was a guy that we drafted for that reason, to be a contributor for us. He’s not under contract now so we’re going to have to work through how to do that and if it’s possible and we’ll have to go through the gymnastics of that. So it’s a different scenario than it was last year. Trading a high-level player that’s under contract just because the future might demand it, that’s never really on my mind." Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) gestures toward the official after catching a touchdown pass as Minnesota Vikings cornerback Akayleb Evans (21) defends in the fourth quarter of a Week 15 NFL football game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Cincinnati Bengals, Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati. The Cincinnati Bengals won 27-24 in overtime.More As far as what happens next with Higgins, it's pretty simple. The three options for the Bengals with Higgins are the following: Place the franchise tag on him and keep him around for one more season at $20-plus million, tag him and then trade him to get draft picks or let him go to another team in free agency. The Bengals have from Feb. 20 to March 5 to place the franchise tag on Higgins if they opt to go that route. If they don’t, it’s a sign they plan to let him become a free agent."We’ll see what happens this year," Tobin said. "I want Tee Higgins back. Everyone on our team would like to have 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." https://sports.yahoo.com/heres-latest-cincinnati-bengals-tee-020622590.html 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie_B Posted January 31 Report Share Posted January 31 That sounds like they are open to a tag and trade. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UncleEarl Posted January 31 Report Share Posted January 31 They have to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|BlackJesus| Posted January 31 Report Share Posted January 31 The tag is a 100% certainty. It would be malpractice not to tag him and let him leave for nothing. However, those comments make me think they could be looking to trade him once tagged. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Le Tigre Posted January 31 Report Share Posted January 31 Once again…it is the writer who is speculating. I don’t see one word from Tobin on anything other than the non-comment “we’ll see what happens”. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UncleEarl Posted January 31 Report Share Posted January 31 34 minutes ago, Le Tigre said: Once again…it is the writer who is speculating. I don’t see one word from Tobin on anything other than the non-comment “we’ll see what happens”. While that's true, it's quite a different tone than Tobin's comment last year of "go find your own!" 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texbengal Posted January 31 Report Share Posted January 31 27 minutes ago, UncleEarl said: While that's true, it's quite a different tone than Tobin's comment last year of "go find your own!" Yes, but he WAS under contract when Duke said that. I'm not sure what you'd call it now... he's not under contract per se, and could become a free agent... but the Bengals do have exclusive rights until the free agent period starts... so they can tag him and negotiate a new contract prior to that time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|Montana Bengal| Posted January 31 Report Share Posted January 31 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JC Posted January 31 Report Share Posted January 31 I just don’t know what team would give up a first rounder for him. Four guys are supposed to go top 20ish and would rather reset with a rookie with four years of cheap control and two years of option/FT. Then you have the Stealers/Ravens/Chiefs who they would not make a deal with or likely the Bills. Then you have the Rams/Eagles/Packers/Dolphins/9ers who aren’t in need of or can afford to go after another highly paid receiver for various reasons. That leaves you with the Texans/Cowboys/Lions who have Collins/Lamb/Amon coming up. Think you could remove the Cowboys from that group. Bucs? Possibly. Cardinals? Might draft MHjr. Maybe? Could probably throw the Jags into the mix due to the Clemson connection. Carolina has the first pick in round 2, but if you can’t replace him in round 1 and lose TB? You just destroyed the backbone of your Super Bowl aspirations. I think they value him more than they can get for him and have a legitimate shot at the Super Bowl with he and Chase on the roster next year. The pie comment is interesting though.. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie_B Posted January 31 Report Share Posted January 31 2 hours ago, UncleEarl said: While that's true, it's quite a different tone than Tobin's comment last year of "go find your own!" Yeah him talking about it being a different scenario than last year got me thinking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie_B Posted January 31 Report Share Posted January 31 1 minute ago, JC said: I just don’t know what team would give up a first rounder for him. Four guys are supposed to go top 20ish and would rather reset with a rookie with four years of cheap control and two years of option/FT. Then you have the Stealers/Ravens/Chiefs who they would not make a deal with or likely the Bills. Then you have the Rams/Eagles/Packers/Dolphins/9ers who aren’t in need of or can afford to go after another highly paid receiver for various reasons. That leaves you with the Texans/Cowboys/Lions who have Collins/Lamb/Amon coming up. Think you could remove the Cowboys from that group. Bucs? Possibly. Cardinals? Might draft MHjr. Maybe? Could probably throw the Jags into the mix due to the Clemson connection. Carolina has the first pick in round 2, but if you can’t replace him in round 1 and lose TB? You just destroyed the backbone of your Super Bowl aspirations. I think they value him more than they can get for him and have a legitimate shot at the Super Bowl with he and Chase on the roster next year. The pie comment is interesting though.. Hard to say but the Panthers do have the 1st pick in the 2nd round and have inquired about Tee. If we traded him to the Panthers it would give us the exact pick that we used to take Tee (1st pick in the 2nd round) That may not be a "gain" as far as draft picks, but getting a "push" for him and getting cheaper, isn't a loss. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
claptonrocks Posted January 31 Report Share Posted January 31 46 minutes ago, Jamie_B said: Hard to say but the Panthers do have the 1st pick in the 2nd round and have inquired about Tee. If we traded him to the Panthers it would give us the exact pick that we used to take Tee (1st pick in the 2nd round) That may not be a "gain" as far as draft picks, but getting a "push" for him and getting cheaper, isn't a loss. Trevor Lawrence and Tee teammates at Clemson.. Maybe Jax could make an offer ..no? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie_B Posted January 31 Report Share Posted January 31 2 minutes ago, claptonrocks said: Trevor Lawrence and Tee teammates at Clemson.. Maybe Jax could make an offer ..no? Maybe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|BlackJesus| Posted January 31 Report Share Posted January 31 ^ I would put his potential suitors as ... 1. Titans 2. Panthers 3. Jags 4. Bears 5. Giants Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|High School Harry| Posted January 31 Report Share Posted January 31 4 hours ago, BlackJesus said: ^ I would put his potential suitors as ... 1. Titans 2. Panthers 3. Jags 4. Bears 5. Giants 1. Us... I hope 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spicoli Posted January 31 Report Share Posted January 31 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Le Tigre Posted February 1 Report Share Posted February 1 11 hours ago, Jamie_B said: That may not be a "gain" as far as draft picks, but getting a "push" for him and getting cheaper, isn't a loss. How would you call an unproven rookie a “push” over a more-than-proven veteran? 🤔 I don’t care too much for money… money can’t buy…well you get it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie_B Posted February 1 Report Share Posted February 1 9 hours ago, Le Tigre said: How would you call an unproven rookie a “push” over a more-than-proven veteran? 🤔 I don’t care too much for money… money can’t buy…well you get it. As opposed to getting nothing when he moves on like Bates did? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmoothD Posted February 1 Report Share Posted February 1 21 hours ago, claptonrocks said: Trevor Lawrence and Tee teammates at Clemson.. Maybe Jax could make an offer ..no? I mentioned this deal last year when the Bengals didn't sign him to a long term deal. Evan Engram would be a nice fit here, but Jax probably isn't interested in trading him. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparky151 Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 On 1/31/2024 at 5:26 PM, spicoli said: We might have gotten a nice deal on a trade last year but this is a good draft year for receivers. Not many teams will trade a high pick for Tee when they could get a good rookie with the pick and save $20 mil per year in the process. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
claptonrocks Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 1 hour ago, sparky151 said: We might have gotten a nice deal on a trade last year but this is a good draft year for receivers. Not many teams will trade a high pick for Tee when they could get a good rookie with the pick and save $20 mil per year in the process. Depends on how teams view him. No. 1 WR...by most.. Proven........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Le Tigre Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 Good times in Las Vegas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|High School Harry| Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 14 hours ago, Le Tigre said: Good times in Las Vegas Good move. Marvin will have them mediocre in no time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Dub Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 There's a pie and 1/3rd of it is unaccounted for.. They've got far more cap space than most teams, let's not start with the poor-mouthing again when everyone can see it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparky151 Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 17 hours ago, claptonrocks said: Depends on how teams view him. No. 1 WR...by most.. Proven........... He'd certainly have suitors if he were a true free agent. But if the price of a trade is a late 1st or early 2nd round pick, teams like NE or Tennessee or Chicago would probably prefer to use the money at a spot without so many rookie prospects and take one of the numerous good receivers in the draft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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