5 Tee Higgins landing spots this offseason

Despite a longstanding effort to suggest they’ll do everything possible to keep Tee Higgins, the Cincinnati Bengals star receiver is set to become a free agent this offseason. They franchise tagged him last year, and doing so again would see his salary spike from $21.8 million up to $26 million in 2025.

Yet, recently, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Bengals could opt to tag Higgins and then trade him to another team. So, which teams could be in play for the 6-foot-4 playmaking receiver?

New England Patriots

Now that the New England Patriots have their quarterback of the future in Drake Maye, it’s time to arm him with weapons. What better solution than getting him a massive target like Higgins, who’s still just 26. Higgins already has two 1,000-yard seasons to his name and he’s coming off a career year, catching 10 touchdowns while averaging the second-most yards per game of his NFL life.

Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos have a fine stable of receivers, but if they could add a playmaker who’s even better than Courtland Sutton and Marvin Mims, we may see Sean Payton’s take off in 2025. Pairing Higgins with Sutton would give Bo Nix two receivers that are 6-foot-3 or taller, making the Broncos a dangerous team in the red zone.

Green Bay Packers

Christian Watson’s late-season ACL tear could cost him the bulk of the Green Bay Packers’ 2025 campaign, which means Jordan Love may need another receiver capable of being the alpha. If it’s a trade that brings Higgins to Green Bay, the Packers may hold the advantage due to being able to offer the Bengals a young receiver with upside, plus draft compensation in return.

Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys need another receiver opposite CeeDee Lamb and we can’t think of a better solution than Tee Higgins. Sure, it would give Dallas two of the NFL’s five-highest paid receivers, but giving first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer a new tool to work with could pay major dividends.

Washington Commanders

This may be the best trade landing spot for Higgins. The Washington Commanders are a team on the rise, and thanks to Jayden Daniels, they won’t be taking a step back any time soon. Higgins may view Washington as the best overall situation as a team that can offer a massive contract while giving him a strong chance to win a Super Bowl in the next few years. Plus, the fact that the Commanders are in the NFC as opposed to being one of the Bengals’ direct competitors can’t hurt trade negotiations.