'Most likely' big-name wide receiver to be traded named by insider
By Lior Lampert
Ja'Marr Chase of the Cincinnati Bengals is arguably the biggest beneficiary of the Minnesota Vikings star and former college teammate resetting the receiver market.
Chase, 24, is under team control for two more years. But he is due for a massive pay raise after establishing himself as one of the premiere receivers in football in his first three seasons. However, he isn't the only pass-catcher on the roster needing an extension.
Fellow Bengals wideout Tee Higgins, who is in a contract year, has made it clear he wants to be next in line to get paid. Nevertheless, the team placed the franchise tag on him this offseason after not finding common ground on an extension. Now what? Does Cincinnati trade him? Do they risk going into the season with the matter unsettled and him unhappy?
On Thursday, a fan asked Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer which big-name wide receiver is "most likely" to get traded this offseason in the NFL insider's mailbag column. Whether it be Brandon Aiyuk, CeeDee Lamb, Courtland Sutton or Higgins, several high-profile options have been rumored to be on the move.
Yet, Breer labeled Higgins as the most probable one to get dealt out of the bunch.
Bengals' Tee Higgins named 'most likely' big-name WR to be traded named by insider
"I’d say Tee Higgins," Breer said. "My guess is that Dallas will re-sign [CeeDee] Lamb, and the Niners will find a way to get it done with Brandon Aiyuk, which would lead (either before the season or after it) to the exit of Deebo Samuel."
Breer added that the Bengals have sights on "locking up" Chase. His thoughts align with intel from Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic, who said the team tagged Higgins with Chase "in mind."
Alas, Breer poured cold water on his guess. He emphasized his belief that Cincinnati is "all the way in to win the Super Bowl this year." Trading Higgins would only hurt their chances. Moreover, the NFL insider adds that the Bengals "love" their 2020 second-round draft pick.
Nonetheless, Higgins has yet to sign his franchise tender, and recent reporting suggests he doesn't plan on doing so anytime soon. Additionally, Chase's extension still looms, so it's not like this problem will magically disappear.
After consecutive 1,000-yard receiving campaigns in 2021 and 2022, a nagging hamstring injury limited Higgins to 12 games, falling short of that mark. While he wants to get paid like a No. 1 option, the Bengals already have a primary playmaker who takes priority.
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