NFL insider doesn't think Bengals will trade Tee Higgins

The Cincinnati Bengals have a decision to make following Tee Higgins' trade request.

The Bengals could either honor the wide receiver's request and find a new home for him prior to the 2024 NFL season, or they could force Higgins to play out next season in a Bengals uniform under the franchise tag. One NFL insider expects Cincinnati to pursue the latter option.

Bleacher Report's Jordan Schultz doesn't expect to see a Higgins trade materialize over the offseason.

"So now you start to think about if you're Tee Higgins, 'What's my future here?'" Schultz said of the situation. "We know we have to pay Ja'Marr Chase. We've already paid Joe Burrow, 'Where do I fit in?' And that's where that trade request came. And I think the tag is fine. I would anticipate that he plays on the tag. I don't think he's going to be traded."

You can see Schultz's complete comments on the situation below:

When it comes to a potential trade involving Higgins, there are pros and cons to consider for the Bengals. Cincinnati could probably get a pretty nice return in exchange for Higgins, but their offense will likely be less explosive without him out there. Plus, losing him would make it easier for opposing defenses to scheme for top receiver Ja'Marr Chase.

One thing seems certain: The Bengals aren't going to trade Higgins for pennies on the dollar. While speaking with media members at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis last month, Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin made it clear that the team views Higgins is an important piece of the puzzle for next season.

“We tagged him with the intent of him playing for us,” Tobin said of Higgins. “He’s a good player. We want good players. He fits us perfectly. So we tagged him for that reason."

There's still a whole lot of offseason left, so an attractive enough trade offer could ultimately materialize, but that appears to be far from a certainty at this point in time.