NFL rumors: Bengals asking price for Tee Higgins reportedly revealed

The Cincinnati Bengals may have used the franchise tag on fifth-year pro Tee Higgins out of Clemson, but apparently, he wants nothing to do with them. Higgins was a second-round pick back in 2020. While he has had great success catching passes from Joe Burrow over the last four years, Higgins did lose his offensive coordinator in Brian Callahan to the Tennessee Titans' head-coaching position.

Furthermore, Higgins has reportedly requested a trade out of town. This was always a possibility, but the Bengals hardly ever trade players, especially when it comes to their draft picks. However, Duke Tobin is a savvy front office executive and has built quite the team over the last few years. Obviously, he will want fair compensation for a player of Higgins' caliber. The question is if they will be getting it.

For a No. 2 wide receiver in his prime, the Bengals are supposedly asking for either a late first-round pick, possibly an early second-round pick. Essentially, they want to recoup a top-40 pick for their former top-40 pick out of Clemson. You would be getting one of the better No. 2 wide receivers in the game in Higgins, but you would have to give up being able to select the next one inside of the top 40.

Truth be told, I don't think a trade for Higgins is going to be overly complicated, but that is just me...

The big question is not if, but when Higgins will be traded. Start fielding calls for him, Tobin...

NFL rumors: Cincinnati Bengals' asking price for Tee Higgins revealed

To me, I think this puts teams like the Tennessee Titans and the Atlanta Falcons near the top of the pecking order to land Higgins. Atlanta and Tennessee have the necessary draft capital in the second round to pull off a deal. Higgins may have played his college football at Clemson, but he hails from Oak Ridge, Tennessee, not all that far from Knoxville. The Titans have to be the favorite to land him.

Atlanta needs a No. 2 receiver to star opposite of Drake London, much like the Titans need with someone to pair with DeAndre Hopkins. The Falcons are probably ready to compete a little more easily than the Titans, but they may have other priorities in building up their roster before the NFL Draft. Another team that should be in play, but may not have the resources is the Carolina Panthers.

Charlotte is very close to where Higgins played his college ball at. He would be elevated into the No. 1 spot in Carolina, hoping to help bring Bryce Young along under Dave Canales' watch. The only problem with that is Carolina gave up the farm to take Young. Even more troubling, C.J. Stroud has already proven to be the better pro prospect. He turned the Houston Texans around immediately.

Cincinnati's asking price for Higgins is very high, but that comes with the territory of a tagged player.