July 7, 2024

Would the Bengals pull the trigger on a trade if they got the right compensation? Bengals fans are split almost down the middle.

Representatives and coaches from the Cincinnati Bengals, as well as all the other 31 teams, are in Indianapolis for the NFL Combine, watching incoming rookies work out and interview.

While they’re in attendance, coaches are surely mixing it up and talking about each other’s teams. Now that the Bengals have used their franchise tag on Tee Higgins, it wouldn’t be a major surprise to find out someone had asked about the wide receiver’s availability via trade. That’s one fact I think all Bengals fans can agree with.

What they can not agree on is what the Bengals’ answer would be in response to that question. According to a recent DraftKings poll, 45% of Bengals fans believe the Bengals will trade Higgins at some point this year.

2024 NFL Free Agents: Tee Higgins on top of PFF's best wide receivers -  Cincy Jungle

Fans being split almost down the middle is not surprising.

On one hand, the Bengals keeping Higgins on the tag gives Joe Burrow two top-10 receivers to throw to, limits the shock of not having Tyler Boyd anymore, and gives the Bengals and Higgins a longer period of time to try to come to an extension agreement.

However, if the two sides are not able to reach an agreement on a long-term deal, tagging Higgins just delays the inevitable, and he’ll leave just like Jessie Bates III did after the 2022 season. That, combined with the reports the Bengals could net a top-50 pick for trading Higgins, are very solid arguments for trading the receiver.

What side of the fence do you fall on?

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