Could the New York Giants still land an instant WR1 via trade? Despite the Cincinnati Bengals announcing that they would be franchise-tagging him on February 23, star wide receiver Tee Higgins is believed to be available if the right trade offer emerges according to ESPN NFL insider Dan Graziano.
“A lot of people in Indy seemed to think the reason the Bengals franchised Tee Higgins as early as they did was so they could trade him,” Graziano reported on March 3. Explaining: “With a Ja’Marr Chase extension likely coming this offseason or next, Cincinnati might not be able to keep the band together around Joe Burrow much longer.”
While referencing this update, Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport came up with several realistic trade proposals for Higgins on March 4 — and the Giants were the first destination on his list.
His proposal? Ship the two 2024 second rounders for the Bengals playmaker and don’t think twice.
“The sixth overall pick would be a steep price to pay, even for a wide receiver as talented as Higgins,” Davenport acknowledged. “But the Giants have a pair of second rounders (No. 39 and No. 47) after dealing defensive lineman Leonard Williams to the Seattle Seahawks last year. That could be enough to get a deal done.”
Earlier in the column, the Bleacher Report analyst also reiterated that “there is buzz in some league circles that the reason Cincinnati franchised Higgins so early was so it can shop the 25-year-old.” Voicing: “Assuming there’s at least some fire behind that smoke, there should be demand for Higgins’ services.”
Giants’ Top Competition for Tee Higgins Trade Expected to Be NFC Centric
As Davenport noted, it’s highly unlikely that the Bengals would even consider trading Higgins to an AFC franchise — let alone a fellow contender. The only inner-conference trade that was even suggested as a possibility involved the New England Patriots, an organization in the midst of a rebuild.
Teams like the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers were ruled out immediately due to their respective rivalries with Cincinnati both inside and outside of their division.
