Cincinnati Bengals star wide receiver Tee Higgins is one of the biggest names to monitor between now and Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline.
Tee Higgins and the Bengals could not reach an agreement on a long-term extension in the offseason. The big-bodied wideout ultimately signed his $21.8 million franchise tender, allowing him to further maximize his value ahead for 2025 free agency.
Unfortunately, Higgins has already missed four games this season due to injury. But as we saw in the Bengals’ Week 9 blowout win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, Joe Burrow has enough weapons at his disposal to keep Cincy in the playoff race without Higgins.
So rather than risk losing Tee Higgins for nothing in 2025 free agency, the Bengals should actively shop him before the deadline. One team that stands out as a logical landing spot for Higgins is Jim Harbaugh’s Los Angeles Chargers.
Rookie Ladd McConkey leads the Chargers with 35 catches for 440 yards and four touchdowns. After him, Josh Palmer is a distant second with 17 catches for 306 yards and one touchdown.
If there’s one glaring weakness on Harbaugh’s roster, it’s wide receiver depth. Justin Herbert is a superstar signal-caller. The defense, offensive line and ground game are all among the NFL’s best this year.
But if McConkey is taken away by the opposing team’s top cornerback? Hard to think LA could win a playoff game with the likes of Palmer and Quentin Johnston as Herbert’s top targets, which is why they should aggressively pursue a trade for Tee Higgins.
What Chargers Should Offer Bengals For Tee Higgins
The Chargers should offer the Bengals a conditional 2025 third-round pick for Tee Higgins that becomes a second-rounder if the Chargers reach the AFC Championship Game.
Los Angeles would be a pure Super Bowl contender with a Higgins-McConkey duo to complement their ground game and defense. This is a reasonable price for a star wide receiver who’s likely to test free agency in 2025.
