Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins. Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

Bengals personnel respond to potential Tee Higgins trade

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Larry Brown | Last updated 2/28/23

Tee Higgins has been at the center of some trade speculation this offseason, but the Cincinnati Bengals are having none of it.

Bengals longtime Direct of Player Personnel Duke Tobin spoke with the media on Tuesday from the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. Tobin laughed off any speculation that the team could trade Higgins, saying “I’m in the business of making the Cincinnati Bengals better. So trading Tee Higgins is not on my mind. That’s their problem. They want a receiver? Go find your own.”

Duke Tobin on Tee Higgins pic.twitter.com/PVivw1aRxC

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) February 28, 2023

“The trade stuff is a little ridiculous right now,” Tobin added.

Bengals head coach Zac Taylor also laughed off the rumors.

Bengals head coach Zac Taylor laughs off "nonsense" of Tee Higgins trade rumors pic.twitter.com/VvSBjGn2nZ

— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) February 28, 2023

“At the end of the day, I do get to call the plays, and it’s fun having weapons out there, and you don’t really want to give those up,” Taylor said.

Taylor added that he does laugh off the rumors.

Trading away Higgins obviously would not be something the Bengals want to do, but NFL teams often have to make moves they would not prefer to do, and that’s due to the salary cap.

Higgins is entering the final season of his rookie deal. After that, he would deserve to be paid as a top receiver. His cost could be too great for a Bengals team that also needs to sign QB Joe Burrow and WR Ja’Marr Chase to long-term deals.

Higgins had 74 catches for 1,029 yards and seven touchdowns last season. He has 19 touchdown catches in three seasons.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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