Bengals WR Tee Higgins requests trade

The Bengals informed Higgins they'd apply the franchise tag to him before the 2024 season, which would pay him $21.8 million for the year but leave him without a contract going forward and sowing uncertainty about his long-term future. 

With quarterback Joe Burrow heading into the second season of a five-year, $275 million contract and a big payday coming for fellow wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, Higgins would likely need to accept a contract below his actual value to remain with Cincinnati. 

2023 was a disaster for the Bengals, who many viewed as a Super Bowl contender before injuries to Burrow both in training camp and the regular season derailed the campaign. Higgins dealt with injuries of his own, resulting in career-lows in yards (656) and touchdowns (five) in 12 games as Cincinnati went 9-8 and finished last in the AFC North. 

But he did flash the talent that helped him eclipse 1,000 receiving yards in 2021 and 2022, and the Bengals should have plenty of teams hoping to acquire his services.

The Carolina Panthers should be the team in the most aggressive pursuit. 

The Panthers haven't made the playoffs since losing Super Bowl 50 and went 2-15 last season with one of the most talent-deficient offenses in the NFL. 

After trading away a haul of draft picks and their most talented playmaker in DJ Moore to Chicago, Carolina took Bryce Young with the first overall pick in the 2023 Draft. 

Young's most dependable target was the 33-year-old Adam Thielen, who had 52 more targets (137) and 60 more receptions (103) than any other Panther. The result was a passing game that finished last in the league with 161.2 passing yards per game and tied for 31st in passing touchdowns with just 13. 

Adding Higgins, whose career lows last year would still have him as the second-most productive receiver for Carolina, would be an immediate improvement at a pivotal moment in Bryce Young's development.

For young quarterbacks, building confidence can be as important as developing talent. But that's difficult to do when they're constantly getting hit. In 2023 only Washington's Sam Howell was sacked more times (65) than Bryce Young (62), with Zach Wilson the next closest at 46.

Higgins won't directly give Young more time to throw, but he does give him a true game-changing threat for him to target and get the ball to quickly. 

Like the Eagles acquiring A.J. Brown for Jalen Hurts or the Dolphins trading for Tyreek Hill to pair with Tua Tagovailoa, the Carolina Panthers need to find help for the face of their franchise. 

Higgins could be that help.