Cincinnati Bengals: Tee Higgins has big dreams for year two

As the Cincinnati Bengals continue training camp, Tee Higgins spoke with the media on Thursday. During his media session, Higgins noted what he hopes to achieve in his second season and while they’re big goals, no one is doubting that he can accomplish them.

Listed in his goals for the 2021 season, Higgins said he wants to make his first Pro Bowl, go for over 1,000 yards receiving, and — the loftiest of goals — he wants his team to make the playoffs.

Okay, so two of those are realistic. The playoff one isn’t a pipe dream necessarily but it’s an uphill battle for sure.

Higgins went in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft after putting on a show at Clemson. The Bengals had spent their first-round pick on Joe Burrow (first overall) and adding Higgins gave him an explosive weapon to throw to in year one.

While Burrow went down with an injury late in the year, the two formed what looked to be a promising connection on the gridiron. Higgins ended the season with 67 receptions for 908 yards and six touchdowns, which is a really solid rookie campaign considering he was without his starting quarterback for the final six games.

Had Burrow not gotten injured, it’s not a stretch to say that Higgins could have gone over the 1,000-yard mark at all. He also might have been close to double-digit touchdowns. His 1,000-yard receiver goal for the 2021 season is attainable for sure, but competing with Tyler Boyd and Ja’Marr Chase for targets will be his biggest challenge.

Tee Higgins is dreaming big for the Cincinnati Bengals.

Making a Pro Bowl is a realistic goal but the thing that sucks the most about the Pro Bowl is that it’s more of a popularity contest than anything else. If the Bengals aren’t relevant, Higgins is going to have a tough time making this goal come true in 2021.

The playoff goal is a big dream for sure but it’s not impossible to reach. The biggest obstacle for the Bengals (other than themselves) is the gauntlet of a division they’re in. They play six games against playoff teams from a season ago and that’s not an easy slate whatsoever.

It’s good that Higgins sees big things for himself and this team. It’s hard not to see or hear comments like this from Bengals players and get a little more fired up for the season than we were before.

Hopefully, for Higgins’ sake, at least two of his goals work out because it’d mean he had a killer sophomore season.