Joe Burrow sent powerful message to Mike Brown over Tee Higgins' looming free agency

Although Joe Burrow may be the franchise cornerstone for the Cincinnati Bengals, the foundation may start to crumble even more with Tee Higgins out of the building. Cincinnati finished the regular season 9-8 with a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night. They still need for both the Denver Broncos and the Miami Dolphins to lose to miraculously make their way into the postseason.

Burrow played out of his mind down the stretch, but the season got off to a rocky start, due in large part to the painful free agency process Higgins had to endure. The fifth-year pro out of Clemson had to play this past season on the franchise tag. Other notable players got slapped with the tag, but he was the only one who was forced to play on it in the NFL, due in part to the Bengals' cheapskate ways.

If you want to know how Burrow feels about Higgins potentially leaving, here is what all he had to say.

"You don't want to make a habit of letting great players get out of the building. ... You just can't let him get out of the building."

This quote was part of a minute-long response about Higgins' future, as well as a shot at Mike Brown.

If Higgins were to potentially hit free agency again, he might be the most sought-after wide receiver.

Joe Burrow let it be known to Mike Brown he wants Tee Higgins to stay

Where you land matters. While the Bengals have been good for the most part over the last half decade, they have a bad reputation as a franchise they can never seem to shake. With Brown taking over for his late father Paul Brown, the Bengals have been the slowest adaptor to modern times in the NFL. Out of cheapness, pettiness or hubris, they are the only mom and pop shop left in the league.

This team does not move up and down the draft board. They hardly ever trade to begin with. Up until recently, they did not have an adequate indoor practice facility. Their lack of resources and financial investment have often put them behind the eight ball in free agency, as well as in several other areas. Of the 32 NFL franchises, the Bengals are regularly seen as one of the league's least valuable entities.

Overall, Burrow should not have to beg and plead for ownership to take his request to keep Higgins seriously. I know that Duke Tobin and his staff draft well, but you have the most talented player in franchise history, or at least since Anthony Muñoz, at wit's end with ownership over this matter. Knowing that Higgins may have played his last game in Cincinnati should not sit well with anybody.

Burrow made it a point to say Higgins is a hard worker and does everything you want out of a receiver.