In the months leading up to the start of free agency, Cincinnati Bengals star quarterback Joe Burrow made it abundantly clear that he wanted the team to retain wide receiver Tee Higgins. The two players were drafted the same year and have developed an excellent chemistry over the past five seasons.
Luckily, Burrow got his wish, as the Bengals locked Higgins up on a new, four-year deal worth up to $115 million and during an interview with Bleacher Report, he explained what makes Higgins so integral to Cincinnati's offensive attack -- and why the Bengals were wise to reward him so handsomely.
"When Tee's out there, you can just feel how the defense changes," Burrow said. "You can tell they can't just focus on Ja'Marr, they have to give attention to Tee. And that opens things up for everybody else.
"And Tee does everything right," he added. "We came in together, we've grown together as players and as people. We have great chemistry. You want to keep that around, you don't want to make it a habit of letting great players leave."
It's safe to say that Joe Burrow is happy that Tee Higgins will be staying in Cincinnati
Higgins clearly has a huge fan in Burrow, whose consistently [public] campaigning may have played a role in Cincinnati's decision to retain the receiver. He certainly has some sway within the organization. It didn't hurt, at least.
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As a receiver, Higgins' stats don't necessarily jump off of the page. He's only eclipsed 1,000 yards in a season once, and last season was the his first with double-digit receiving touchdowns. He's also never made an All-Pro or Pro Bowl team.
Given Higgins' lack of accolades, some would argue that the team overpaid for his services. But, his impact can't be measured with simple stats, as Burrow alluded to. Higgins' mere presence out on the field opens things up for Ja'Marr Chase, as defenses can't afforded to load up on him as they have to keep an eye on Higgins too. As a result, he makes both Chase's and Burrow's jobs easier.
Now, the trio of Burrow, Chase and Higgins will get to play together for the next four seasons at least, and during that time they'll likely continue to have one of the most potent offensive attacks in the entire NFL. They'll also probably set some franchise records in the process, and maybe, just maybe, they'll lead the team to the first Super Bowl victory in franchise history.