The Cincinnati Bengals’ situation with Tee Higgins might not be tenable for the upcoming season. The star wide receiver has not shown up for OTAs this offseason and has not signed his franchise tender for the 2024 season after requesting a trade. His teammates don’t even believe the Bengals have a chance to extend him.

The Cincinnati Bengals want to play for a Super Bowl.

The Bengals, who believe they can compete for a Super Bowl this season, wanted to let Higgins play out one final year before he hits free agency. But Alex Ballentine with Bleacher Report thinks the Bengals’ best bet is to trade Higgins this offseason and recoup draft capital for Higgins:

Tee Higgins has had plenty of success with the Cincinnati Bengals, but his time with the team that drafted him appears to be dwindling.

The reality that it’s going to be very difficult to build a championship team while paying Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Higgins long-term. The Bengals’ decision to franchise-tag the receiver is a move that simply delays the inevitably for one more season.

If this were a Madden franchise, it would make some sense to push the chips to the middle of the table and have Higgins play on the one-year tag. But the human element and the frustration that comes with playing without long-term financial stability could get in the way of that plan.