Tee Higgins' future with the Cincinnati Bengals remains a hot topic, and now former Bengals great Chad Johnson has weighed in on the situation. While catching up with TMZ recently, Johnson expressed optimism that the two sides would figure things out after Higgins requested a trade away from the franchise at the onset of free agency.
"It always happens this time of year. Players want to get paid. But, I think we're going to work it out. We'll figure it out.
Johnson added that he has talked to Higgins several times, and that the situation is simply the byproduct of the business.
"I talked to Tee a few times," Johnson said. ". . . It's just business. It's the nature of the business. He's going to be alright though."
Bengals fans will likely be relieved to hear these comments from Johnson, considering he knows a thing or two about the business and also about being a successful wide receiver in Cincinnati.
All signs point to Higgins staying in Cincinnati
At this point, with the 2024 NFL Draft in the rearview, it seems unlikely that the Bengals will trade Higgins before the upcoming season. He's under team control through next season via the franchise tag, so the two sides still have time to come to a long-term agreement before next offseason.
Higgins himself has made it clear that he expects to play in Cincinnati next season.
"I do anticipate it," Higgins said of playing for the Bengals next season. "I've grown a love for Cincinnati that I didn't think I would. looking forward to it."
The Bengals selected wide receiver Jermaine Burton in the third round of the '24 draft, and perhaps the plan is for him to eventually take Higgins' spot. But, that could very well depend on how he performs during his rookie campaign. In the meantime, it seems like we can expect to see Higgins play at least one more season in the black-and-orange.